The fish involved in the trade are mostly from reefs such as the butterfly fish, angelfish and damselfish.

Most methods used to collect these fish are harmful.

These include the illegal use of cyanide, bleach, and explosives and the improper use of nets.

Seahorses are famous for their secretive behaviour.

They are commonly found in shallow water near the coast and also in seagrass beds.

The most fascinating aspect of these animals is their parental care of both eggs and young.

The male seahorse has a brood pouch to incubate and hatch the young.

There is a great demand for dried seahorses in China and Hong Kong for Chinese medicine and for necklaces, trinkets and souvenirs in India and Thailand. Live animals are also collected for aquariums.

The collection of seahorses by way of nets and cyanide poisoning is cruel. Seahorses are often caught by using explosives which can deplete populations and habitats.

The fact that they reproduce very slowly is another cause for concern.

Sharks are large predators of the sea, but they are increasingly being killed by humans.

They are widely exploited for their meat and fins used for food; skin for leather; internal organs for cosmetics and cartilage for medicines.

They are caught either on purpose or by accident in nets. They are easily trapped as they gather at spawning and feeding grounds.

Some species such as the whale shark and basking shark are seriously endangered and could become extinct in the very near future.

Fishermen prey on these species because of their large fins, popular with the Chinese for making soup.

More research and controls are needed to protect them.