Background
The first spotting
In November 2007, we visited Stratoni as staff members of the Marine Antiquities Ephorate diving crew, with an aim to perform an underwater inspection for the extension of the mine’s peer. After we finalized the underwater inspection of the port, we decided to continue with our underwater exploration and exit the water further from “Argiro’s” stream. During our underwater route we spotted our first seahorse, the excitement was intense, as this is a species that is quite rare. Carrying on our underwater route we spotted another one, and a few more and a few more, the place was thriving with seahorses! It was a unique experience. After our return to Athens we decided to visit this spot again, so we returned a few months later, in 2008, in order to confirm our first encounter. Indeed, we had the exact same experience, we encountered a plethora of seahorses living in a hypertrophic, underwater habitat. After exiting the sea we made inquiries to the locals about whether they had knowledge of their existence. Of course, the fishermen who were in Stratoni’s fishing harbor, confirmed the existence of the species while showing us quite a few specimens, accidentally caught in their nets that day.
Rarity – IUCN
Some seahorses are placed in the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species and since 1996 they had been placed under the Vulnerable (VU) status. Recently they were placed under the near threatened category during a Mediterranean assessment. Four European and International Treaties signed by Greece, are protecting this species. Three Hellenic ministries, the Ministry for Agricultural Development and Food, the Ministry of Shipping and the Islands along with the Ministry of Energy and the Environment are responsible for enforcing the aforementioned treaties while ensuring they are not fished and legally enforcing their protection. “We consider that the phenomenon of the seahorses’ permanent population in this particular area is a unique circumstance in the Greek Seas and is very likely that it may spread even further”.
2007-2008 Monitoring using Visual census techniques
From 2007 until today we have performed dozens of dives documenting this phenomenon. In 2010 a natural disaster hit the village of Stratoni. “Argyro’s stream” spilled thousands of cubic meters of sediment in the sea, which drastically struck the seahorse population while burying the entire benthic ecosystem with mud. Unfortunately, after this incident the seahorse population was reduced to a few dozen.
Research
The fact that seahorses are always encountered in this particular area is a unique case and it raises a lot of questions. The Hippocampus Marine Institute wants to incorporate research on the study and monitoring of the seahorse, while creating a permanent observatory for the research and conservation of this rare species. Under the scientific guidance of Dr. Kostandinos Dounas from the Hellenic Centre of Marine Research (H.C.M.R.) “Thalassokosmos” in Crete, we have performed measurements of the water column, sediment analysis and DNA lab studies. The seahorses are photographed with a particular method, where the photographs are analyzed by a special software (I3S) allowing us to uniquely id each individual specimen. Due to their small size and their sensitivity to stress, no other method can be used to safely identify them without causing any damage. The coastal area of Stratoni has been systematically surveyed in various depths by means of 30 geolocated transects, in order to document the quantity and abundance of the population. Their sex and their potential (εν δυναμει) reproductive behavior has also been documented. In addition, during some night dives, other species of rare marine life have been spotted, i.e Tethys fimbria International interest has arisen from the Syngnathid Research Biologist Project Seahorse Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries and their project, projectseahorse.org. Since early 2017, we are in collaboration with «Project Seahorse» of the Oceans and Fisheries Institute from the Canadian University of British Columbia. “Project Seahorse” has recognized our work and observations on the seahorses of Stratoni by recognizing us an iSeahorse ambassador for Greece. In December of 2017, Miguel Correia visited and dived with us in Stratoni. Miguel is a Marine Biologist (MSc Marine Resources Biology and Management, PhD Marine Ecology, Project Seahorse Research Associate, C.C.M.A.R., Fisheries Biology and Hydroecology) from the Portuguese University «Universidade do Algarve Campus de Gambelas», who has international recognition and specialization in the study of seahorses. During his visit we performed population counts using transects and underwater visual census techniques in and around the area of interest, we performed night observations using a Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV). In April 2018, we performed salinity measures around the area.
The area’s layout
After the natural disaster that occurred in 2010, the marine plants (phanerogams) which are the seahorses’ natural habitat had mostly disappeared, however now their population is slowly recovering. Seahorses are a particularly slow moving species, preferring to stay attached on a particular substrate using their tail. For this reason, we placed a “meander” of rope along the seafloor offering them a secure place for attachment. Following this, we also placed fake aquarium plants, mimicking an underwater garden along with other structures creating extra shelter for them to use and attach on. The first results of this experiment were fast and impressive, as many seahorses colonized the artificial habitats and have remained there. These artificial habitats have been placed in an area with a depth range from 7 to 12 meters and is delineated on the surface using four surface buoys and creating a square, 50mX50m wide. This area is vulnerable to fishing gear as they could cause damage to the habitat and the species themselves, so our suggestion is that fishing should be avoided over the delineated square. We consider that the protection and overall outward communication of this rare species population in Stratoni will benefit the whole area in creating a new id by creating an underwater thematic park focusing on the seahorse, an underwater mythical dragon.
Production of short videos and publications
In 2013 we compiled some of the material we had collected and produced a video of short duration about the presence of the seahorse population in Stratoni. At the same time we authored an article which was published in the Greek magazines “GEO” (insert of Eleftherotypia newspaper) and “THALASSA”. A second video was produced in January 2017, displaying the diving footprint of Aristotelis municipality. A special focus was published in the Sunday edition of the “Kathimerini” newspaper, while many news programs, newspapers and magazines in Greece and abroad have featured the work that has been done in the area.
Documentary
The conditions for the creation of a scientific documentary matured in February of 2016. In March of the same year we began scientific diving using underwater observation and documentation in order to produce a scientifically documented documentary. The film will be focused on a scientific documentary about the seahorse species found in the Greek seas (Hippocampus hippocampus and Hippocampus guttulatus) hippocampus (Equus Marinus), their occurrences and the efforts to explain the Stratoni colony, detailed analysis by marine biologists, environmental professionals, sediment scientists and chemical analysis of samples taken from the water column and sediment cores. In addition, it will explore their extensive archaeological and mythical references. It will also show underwater footage shot around Stratoni, on land footage of the North East Chalkidiki area, interviews and finally footage from “Thalassokosmos” aquarium, in Irakleio Creta. The overall scientific framework and research will be led by Dr. Kostandinos Dounas from the Marine Biology Department of the Hellenic Centre of Marine Research, “Thalassokosmos”. The documentary is a co-production of UFR Team/NGUE, COSMOTE TV, HCMR and is under the auspices of the Central Macedonia Region and the Ministry of the Environment.
Initial recreational diving
The importance of the underwater biodiversity and the seahorses of Stratoni have already attracted the interest of recreational diving, along with the scientific interest it has arisen. The first dives initially begun by a few SCUBA divers from Thessaloniki, who had very positive experiences and who soon attracted more interest from diver’s allover Greece. The overall positive impressions of these experienced and beginner divers are revealing the novel experience of diving with the aim of observing seahorses. Since January 2017, the diving center NGUE which is based in Thessaloniki, has already performed dozens of dives and diver trainings in the coastal area of Stratoni and the surrounding area. By December 2018, the Hippocampus Institute was founded with the main office in Athens and a branch in Stratoni.
December 2018
By December 2018, the Hippocampus Institute was founded with the main office in Athens and a branch in Stratoni.