Seahorse Hotels in Sag Harbor
Northern Lined Seahorse, using its prehensile tail to cling to eelgrass
On July 31st, our Sag Harbor business partner, Kidd Squid, hosted CCE staff and Back to the Bays Stewards for a Seahorse Hotel workshop. We were battling the rain, so photos are sparse, but our volunteers toughed it out! Lead by habitat and seahorse specialist, and marine educator, Kim Manzo, participants first learned about the biology, evolution, and environmental threats to our local seahorse population, and then built several structures designed to serve as usable habitat for this threatened species.
Eelgrass is the preferred habitat of our native seahorse species, the Northern Lined Seahorse (Hippocampus erectus). Seahorses evolved from pipefish-shaped ancestor, to have prehensile tails that allow them cling to eelgrass and other stable habitat structures. This is essential for their species’ survival, as it allows them to remain in their territory with their pair-bonded mate.
Standard seahorse hotel prototype
CCE is working to restore essential eelgrass meadows; however, this habitat decline has already impacted seahorse populations. In 2023, a seahorse was observed on an oyster cage tied to a dock in our Shelter Island Stewardship Site, inspiring a possible solution! To help address their habitat needs, we are working to deploy “Seahorse Hotels” to create stable, long-term habitat sites for seahorses to return to annually.
We are experimenting with multiple prototypes, using a combination of materials, including mesh and wire cages, that seahorses can wrap their tails around. These 3 dimensional structures will also support the growth of other habitat building organisms, like sponges and macro algae, providing even more usable habitat. After learning about what makes for suitable seahorse habitat, our workshop participants were given the option of taking a creative approach in designing their own hotels.
Kim Manzo educating participants about the importance of preserving eelgrass habitats
Intern, Kacy Sparrow, helping to assemble the heavy base of the hotel
Kate Rossi-Snook, guiding Stewards in assembling prototypes
Because of differences in water depth and the sizes of our prototypes, the seahorse hotels made by Sag Harbor Stewards on July 31st, will be deployed in our Hampton Bays Stewardship Site, while the hotels made at our Hampton Bays workshop, will likely be deployed in Sag Harbor, demonstrating the interconnectivity of all of our Stewardship Sites throughout the East End.
Prior to our July 31st Seahorse Hotel Workshop, our eelgrass and seahorse specialist, Kim Manzo, scouted the edges of the Sag Harbor Shoals restored eelgrass meadow, looking for installation sites for our new Seahorse Hotels. Kate Ross-Snook, educator Donovan Bauman, and Back to the Bays intern, Lillie Henthorne assisted from the boat. Kim observed multiple adult scallops in and around the eelgrass meadow, and identified an ideal hotel site based on nearly zero existing habitat structure.
View video footage from Kim’s perspective as she monitors the eelgrass meadow, looking for signs of fauna moving in to take shelter in this restored habitat. —>
A screenshot from our underwater footage, reveals lots of macro algae growth, which provides further habitat for seahorses to hold onto and excellent shelter for the multiple juvenile black sea bass we found lurking within.
Update: On August 13th, Hazel Wodehouse (Science and Engagement Manager) joined Kim Manzo in monitoring our Southold hotels off of Cedar Beach. Visibility was very poor, but our new GoPros picked up more than our own eyes! The footage is being analyzed for signs of seahorses and other fauna. We are also developing methods for remote video monitoring, so stayed tuned for updates.
Thank you to our Sag Harbor Stewardship Site partners, supporters, and stewards!
