A 70-Hectare Seahorse Sanctuary in Bohol Grew From Divers' Photos, and iSeahorse Has Now Logged 20,000 Sightings

Project Seahorse, founded in 1996 and based at the University of British Columbia, has worked with Philippine fishing communities since the 1990s. Seahorse sightings submitted to its iSeahorse citizen-science platform helped locate a seahorse hot spot in Anda, Bohol, and discussions with local communities led to a new 70-hectare marine protected area and seahorse sanctuary there, plus the expansion of a nearby MPA. iSeahorse passed 20,000 observations from nearly 100 countries in January 2026. The group's 2025 achievements report also covers work on seahorse trade rules in Indonesia and CITES decisions.