Seahorses face welfare threats from the traditional medicine trade, the live aquarium trade, and habitat destruction of the seagrass meadows and coral reefs they depend on.
Seahorse welfare is compromised both by direct trade impacts and habitat loss. Traditional medicine trade harvests dried seahorses using methods that include desiccation and burning, causing suffering in a species capable of pain responses. Trawl bycatch capture - suffocation in air-breathing marine animals - causes acute welfare harm. Live aquarium trade seahorses experience transport stress and are difficult to maintain in captivity without specialised conditions. UK seahorse populations depend on seagrass meadows that are declining from anchor damage, water quality degradation, and coastal development. Marine protected area designation and seagrass restoration directly supports seahorse welfare.