- This Project, has been promoted by Vellmarí and sponsored by Marina Ibiza, Ibiza Preservation Fund, Beso Beach, Marina de Formentera and TAG Heuer.
- The Project will be launched in a press call at MARINA IBIZA during Marina Day, on Saturday 11th of June at 11.00am.
- The Project has the recognition and is overseen by the Balearic Government
There are two species of seahorses in waters of Ibiza and Formentera, and both are listed as threatened by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and by the Balearic Government which included them within the Red Book of Balearic Fish (Llibre Vermell dels Peixos de Balears). This is due to the recoil observed in the population of these species and because the insufficient knowledge we have of the true status of the species and the causes that have led to this regression.
Project Hippocampus was born with the aim to contribute restoring the seahorses population and provide scientific information on this species status, which is presented with an initial three-year plan. It is a private initiative but is carried out under the supervision, authorization and recognition of the Balearic Government. All results and information obtained will be at the disposal of technicians of the competent authorities, and will be available to other researchers and the general public.
The main points of the Project are:
- Captive breeding of seahorses to be released into the sea in controlled and protected environments (Illa de S´Espardell).
- Captive breeding will be carried out in aquariums exposed to the public in Marina Ibiza and Vellmarí Center in Formentera.
- Keep track of populations introduced to provide a better understanding of the species.
- Encourage people to participate to gather information about seahorses, in order to draw a map that collecting information of their presence in both islands.
It is an initiative of Vellmarí Center which becomes possible to implement thanks to the support of different private entities of the two islands: Ibiza Preservation Fund, Beso Beach, Marina Ibiza, Marina de Formentera and TAG Heuer.
Tomorrow, on June 11th, the project will be presented at 11.00am in Marina Ibiza’s facilities.
