The Snake Pipefish are a very delicate and gentle fish species. They used to be uncommon in in British Waters but have seen an increase in numbers in recent years. As a result of over-fishing and climate change, some bird species, particularly Auks and Terns, feed their chicks Snake Pipefish as an alternative to Sand-eels, which are in serious decline. Pipefish are inferior in nutritional value to Sand-eels, whose oily flesh has a higher nutritional value, and their long, hard, hard bodies caused chicks to choke. This mixed with their small size and the fact that their main source of food are micro-organisms makes them hard to fish for. They are often caught by anglers on accident in nets and riddles, they are very gentle but can be used for baiting of other fish.