Research confirms occurrences of Langsnouted Seahorses in Germany

Researchers have been observing for some time that more seahorses are washing ashore along the North German coast. They have not yet found an explanation. For his bachelor’s thesis at Hochschule Bremerhaven, in cooperation with the Thünen Institute of Fisheries, Martin Urbach examined the occurrence of different seahorse species on the North Frisian coast, developing not only a toolbox for species identification and measurement but also documenting a species that had not previously been discovered on German coasts. He has now been awarded the Jesse Science Prize by the Mellumrat e.V. for this work.

Some seahorse species are considered endangered. In particular, the destruction of eelgrass beds off the coast threatens their habitat. At the same time, they often become bycatch in fishing nets. In recent years, however, more and more washed-up seahorses have been found on beaches. Whether this indicates the establishment of a new population in the Wadden Sea cannot yet be clarified. This idea came to Martin Urbach, who studied biotechnology of marine resources at Hochschule Bremerhaven, during his internship at the Thünen Institute of Fisheries, and he developed the project idea. “The topic proposal came from my supervisor, Dr. Hermann Neumann. Seahorses keep washing ashore along the coasts, but no one knows why. In general, there is very little research and thus little data on seahorses in Germany. I wanted to change that,” says Urbach. The supervision of the thesis was provided by Dr. Hermann Neumann, scientist at the Thünen Institute of Fisheries, and Prof. Dr. Miriam Püts, professor at Hochschule Bremerhaven, who also conducts research at the Thünen Institute of Fisheries.

Occurrence of Lang-snouted Seahorses proven

In total, Martin Urbach analyzed 210 seahorse finds. These largely came from a citizen science campaign in which beach walkers reported their finds online by uploading photos. Dr. Hermann Neumann of the Thünen Institute of Fisheries coordinated the scientific analysis of the pictures. Data from scientific studies and museums were also included. “I looked at where seahorses washed ashore and how many there were. I also determined their species, developmental stage, and sex,” says the graduate. From his findings, he developed a toolbox intended to facilitate the measurement of the animals for future research.

During his research, Urbach made some surprising observations. “I found that along the North Frisian coast there are not only the short-snouted seahorses but also the long-snouted seahorses. This is the first evidence of this species in Germany,” explains Urbach. Moreover, more short-snouted seahorses were found than expected, and they are also larger than their counterparts in the Mediterranean. For this discovery, the Mellumrat e.V. awarded the graduate the Jesse Science Prize. The prize annually honors an outstanding scientific work on environmental and nature protection along the coast of Lower Saxony. “My supervisor Dr. Neumann suggested that I apply with my results for the prize. I’m very glad to have been awarded,” says Urbach.

Internship led to research topic

Meanwhile, Martin Urbach no longer studies in Bremerhaven. After completing his bachelor’s degree in summer 2025, he moved to the University of Potsdam to pursue a master’s degree with a broader focus on biodiversity and ecology. He recommends current and future students of the “Hochschule am Meer” to speak with instructors about internships. “During a field trip to the Thünen Institute I saw what the researchers there are working on. That was so exciting that I asked my professor, Dr. Miriam Püts, if I could do an internship there during my practical phase. She arranged the contact and also supervised my bachelor’s thesis.”

The seven-semester bachelor’s program in Biotechnology of Marine Resources prepares students ideally for future challenges in aquatic biotechnology as well as medical and food technology diagnostics. Another part of the study includes marine management topics such as integrated coastal zone management, ecosystem services, and ecological footprint. It provides comprehensive knowledge of marine biology and its marine flora and fauna, fishing and aquaculture, and other forms of marine resource use, which students can deepen in laboratories and exercises. During the course of studies, students can choose between two focuses. In the “Marine Resources” focus, the aim is to impart comprehensive knowledge about the sea as an ecosystem and its economically exploitable resources. The “Bio-Analytics” focus serves to deepen knowledge of molecular biological diagnostic methods and conveys the necessary skills for the development, optimization, and standardization of such methods.