Rare Seahorse found in the River Thames

[Deb London]

I thought that this might interest some London/SE WABBERS. A Short-snouted Hippocampus Seahorse has been discovered in the Thames in Greenwich during a routine fisheries survey.

“The seahorse we found was only 5cm long, a juvenile, suggesting that they may be breeding nearby,” said Emma Barton, Environment Agency Fisheries Officer. “This is a really good sign that seahorse populations are not only increasing, but spreading to locations where they haven’t been seen before.”

Read more here:

Rare seahorse found in River Thames could be part of 'colony' - Yahoo!

(Reported this afternoon.)

[htcdude]

Pretty kool!

[Wild-Woman]

The Thames (once known as the Big Stink) is certainly making progress, it seems, in providing marine life with a decent habitat. Long may it continue and improve. It's good to hear some positives.

[Kayleigh]

Great news, after David Walliams was ill swimming in it I didn't think they would find anything living in there.

[Deb London]

Originally Posted by Kayleigh

Great news, after David Walliams was ill swimming in it I didn't think they would find anything living in there.

[davedotcom]

I read that earlier today. I find seahorses amazing, so to think that they're in our waters is brilliant.

Good to see British rivers improving too. Here in Sheffield our rivers were damaged by the steel industry but after a lot of management things are on the mend.

[Ukwildlifeo]

I think some were found of Rainham further down the Thames a few years back.

As for river quality improving, although many rivers have gone form bad to good, a lot of the excellent rivers have dropped down to good.

[Harold Smith]

Sorry to pour cold water on this report (Pardon the pun) but a letter in today's Times suggests that this is of environmental concern. The letter was sent in by Stephen J. Lockwood who is Fishery Biologist. Apparently this species of seahorse, Hippocampus hippocampus, is not normally found north of the Bay of Biscay and to do so is an indicator of rising sea temperature. Also, to find marine species as far Greenwich is indicative of too much water abstraction resulting in higher levels of seawater into what should be a low saline esturine environment.

If Mr Lockwood is correct then it appears there is a cause for concern.

Harold.

[Wild-Woman]

I was of the understanding that the mix of saline/freshwater started as far up as Westminster Bridge under normal tidal circumstances.

[wanlock dod]

Surely the salinity (whether or not the water is fresh, esturine, or marine) at a given point depends upon the state of the tide at the time of sampling. I am sure that the river flow must have some effect too, such that the salinity might be slightly higher late in the summer when river flows are likely to be lower. I am not sure that there is a single strictly defined definition of when water is fresh, esturine, or marine, so one persons idea of marine water could well be the same as what another person might consider to be esturine.