MEDICINAL AND MYSTICAL-RELIGIOUS USES OF SEAHORSES IN SOUTHERN BRAZILIAN COAST
Resumo
In this study we interviewed fishermen from traditional artisanal and medium-scale fishing communities from southern Brazil to obtain information about use of seahorses for medicinal and mystics practices, to contribute to future co-management strategies and conservation plans of threatened seahorses. We interviewed 23 resident fishers with at least 10 years of fishing experience from Cananéia, Paranaguá, Guaratuba, and São Francisco do Sul municipalities between August and November 2015. We recorded the use of Hippocampus reidi, H. erectus and H. patagonicus, all obtained through incidental bycatches in shrimp trawls and other fishing gear. Fishers indicated the use of these animals for medicinal and mystical-religious purposes, ranging from therapeutic properties for diseases of the respiratory system to crafts and amulets for spiritual protection. The use of seahorses and their respective conservation status demonstrate that this subject deserves special attention.
