Experts have urged the government to lift the ban on export of marine species having medicinal value – seahorses and pipefishes.
Many experts have cited that these marine creatures are no longer in the category of endangered species. A good number of them have bred and cultured and kept safe in the sanctuary ? Gulf of Mannar.
The breeding of seahorses and pipefishes are being undertaken in the Centre of Advanced Study in Marine Biology of the Annamalai University located in the remote village, Parangipettai.
?We bred 10,000 species of seahorses and pipefishes and handed over to the Gulf of Mannar. We have trained 40 Tsunami-affected women fisher folks in two batches in the art of breeding,? said the professor in marine biology, S Rajagopal.
Two years back the government-banned exports of two species of seahorses ? Hippocampus kuda and hippocampus trimaculatus and also pipefishes as they were considered ?endangered.? These marine creatures have high medicinal value and are usually exported to China.
Traditional Chinese medicines use extracts of these species to cure a number of chronic ailments.
SM Raffi of the Centre said that these marine species are priced around Rs 2,400 per kg.
?It will immensely benefit the Tsumani-affected families, if the government considers lifting the ban on exports.?
When asked as to why these marine creatures cannot be of use in the country for preparing medicines, Raffi said, ?In India no one has this knowledge. The knowledge of preparing medicines from these marine creatures is only in the traditional Chinese system.?
Rajagopal said that the world has recognised the Centre?s effort in breeding these once endangered species. India has been invited to partner in the International Project on SeaHorse Breeding, based in the Philippines.