Experienced divers have failed to find any protected spiny seahorses in the seagrass meadows of Studland Bay, Dorset, where they were once common. The Seahorse Trust conducted dives this year but only discovered a dead specimen.
In 2008, around 40 spiny seahorses were recorded in the bay, but none had been seen since early 2015 until a single sighting last summer. Neil Garrick-Maidment of the Seahorse Trust said the team had covered the entire bay without success, though he acknowledged some may still exist.
A dead female spiny seahorse was found in March, possibly washed ashore from further up the coast due to strong east-west currents. It was thoroughly dried, indicating it had been there for some time.
Only 24 specimens of the UK's spiny and short-snouted seahorses were recorded nationwide last year. Both species have been protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act since 2008, making it illegal to kill, injure, or take them.
The Seahorse Trust and Dorset Wildlife Trust blame boat moorings for damaging seagrass habitats by dragging and scouring the seabed. Studland Bay was previously recommended as a Marine Conservation Zone but was not selected. Mr Garrick-Maidment said such a designation would ensure the preservation of seagrass beds and seahorses.
