A new global analysis finds that many of the world’s most threatened seagrass meadows lie within designated Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), raising urgent questions about the effectiveness of current protections for coastal habitats and offering a chance opportunity to rethink global ocean conservation. The study, led by a team of
For millennia, humans lived as hunter-gatherers. Savannas and forests are often thought of as the cradle of our lineage, but beneath the waves, a habitat exists that has quietly supported humans for over 180,000 years. Archaeological evidence suggests that early humans migrated along coasts, avoiding desert and tundra. So, as Homo spread from
Seaweed farming is a rapidly expanding global industry. As a food resource, it has high nutritional value and doesn’t need fertilisers to grow. Seaweed provides valuable habitats for marine life, takes up carbon and absorbs nutrients, plus it helps protect our coastlines from erosion. Usually, seaweeds grow on hard, rocky surfaces. Yet, to
Project Seagrass, the world’s leading conservation organisation for seagrass meadows, has collaborated with Coldplay to launch an exclusive competition offering fans the chance to win tickets to see the band live in concert! As part of Project Seagrass’ ongoing mission to be a global voice for seagrass, and raise awareness
Scientists from the marine conservation charity Project Seagrass are undertaking seagrass planting experiments along the South & West Wales coastline, including a new planting site in Butetown along Cardiff’s Foreshore. Cardiff’s Foreshore is a popular place for sea-angling for species such as cod, which uses seagrass meadows as a nursery
Climate Impact Partners and Deloitte, in collaboration with Project Seagrass and the UK’s National Oceanography Centre, announce a groundbreaking program to fund UK seagrass recovery and unlock long-term finance to save and reinstate vital seagrass meadows. The program will fund critical research across UK seagrass meadows, mapping the ecosystems and developing methods to restore them
196 of the world’s nations are committed under the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework to tackling nature loss. Habitat restoration is a major pathway to tackling this loss. For marine habitats such as seagrass, such restoration is often portrayed as an easy answer to fighting many of our planetary ills causing
Thanks to the support of local volunteers and landowners Stena Line, 50,000 seagrass seeds were planted last month at sites near Holyhead, covering an area of 150 m2. The planting followed on from a successful stakeholder engagement session held at Holyhead Sailing Club in March 2024, which was attended by
The World Seagrass Association Inc. invites expressions of interest from members and interested organisations/institutions who would like to host the 16th International Seagrass Biology Workshop (ISBW) in 2026. The International Seagrass Biology Workshop series is a meeting of research scientists, students and coastal environment managers focusing on global seagrass issues,
Internationally renowned charity Project Seagrass is marking it’s tenth anniversary by re-launching its citizen science website and mobile app SeagrassSpotter which enables anyone and everyone to engage with the seagrass meadows on their doorstep or anywhere else in the world, whether it’s there now or it once was. SeagrassSpotter was
A new global analysis finds that many of the world’s most threatened seagrass meadows lie within designated Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), raising urgent questions about the effectiveness of current protections for coastal habitats and offering a chance opportunity to rethink global ocean conservation. The study, led by a team of scientists from the international NGO Project Seagrass, presents one of the most comprehensive global maps ever produced of the human pressures threatening seagrass meadows—vital coastal ecosystems supporting fisheries, and sustaining marine biodiversity in over 150 countries. With help from over 1000 citizen scientists, the team mapped human pressures to seagrass at over 1200 sites across 86 countries, finding that most seagrass meadows face multiple combined threats, including coastal development and pollution to impacts from things like boating, destructive fishing and aquaculture. Strikingly, half of the seagrass sites exposed to human impacts were located within MPAs—areas that are meant to provide refuge from such threats. “These are supposed to be safe havens for biodiversity,” said lead author Dr. Benjamin Jones. “Instead, we’re finding that many seagrass meadows inside MPAs are under intense and overlapping pressures from human activities on land. That’s a red flag—but also a huge opportunity to rethink how we protect seagrass meadows.” A wake-up call By analysing the data submitted by citizen scientists to SeagrassSpotter.org, the researchers created a high-resolution map of global seagrass vulnerability. The results reveal hotspots of concern in regions like Southeast Asia, the Mediterranean, and parts of the Caribbean—but also bright spots of lower pressure, where conservation action could be both timely and transformative. Critically, the study exposes a major gap between designation and implementation in the world’s MPA networks—finding that seagrass in 4.4% of the world’s MPA’s is under threat. “Putting a boundary on a map isn’t enough,” said Dr. Jones. “If we’re serious about protecting seagrass meadows—and all the benefits they offer—we need to start managing impacts from land.” The study calls for immediate action to strengthen protections within existing MPAs, prioritize high-threat zones for urgent intervention, and expand conservation to underrepresented but ecologically rich areas. “With just a small fraction of seagrass currently protected, the study makes a clear case for smarter marine spatial planning, localised threat reduction, and global cooperation,” said study co-author Dr. Richard Unsworth (also of Swansea University). The findings support the United Nations’ “30×30” goal to protect 30% of Earth’s land and ocean by 2030—but emphasise that quality of protection is just as critical as quantity. To achieve the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework targets, net seagrass losses of roughly 3,000 km2 must be avoided annually from 2030 onwards and ~95,000 km2 of these ecosystems must be restored. Meeting these targets requires solving the complex threats that most seagrasses around the world face. From threats to solutions By publishing the data from this study in an interactive map, the scientists hope this becomes a critical tool for policymakers, conservationists, and local communities who can now pinpoint some of the most at-risk areas and focus efforts accordingly. “Seagrass meadows are quiet powerhouses of the ocean,” said Dr. Jones, “[and] this new map shows us exactly where we need to act – not just to stop loss, but to invest in protection and conservation where it matters most.” Such conservation solutions, the authors argue, need not always be ocean based—land-based restoration and watershed management will be critical to combat nutrient pollution. “These threats are real and widespread. But the solutions are just as real and within reach,” said the team. “By mapping the threats, we’re also mapping the solutions. We know where to act. Now the world needs to do it.” Citizen science This global analysis represents the first research study using data from SeagrassSpotter.org, a citizen science platform launched a decade ago to engage the public in seagrass conservation. This milestone marks a significant achievement in seagrass science, showcasing the power of community-driven data collection. Over the past 10 years, volunteers from around the world have contributed thousands of observations, and Project Seagrass hopes this new research will inspire others to participate, and for fellow scientists to also harness the global dataset. The full article is available here. Jones, B. et al. (2025). Mapping global threats to seagrass meadows reveals opportunities for conservation. Environmental Research Ecology. https://doi.org/10.1088/2752-664X/adcacb
For millennia, humans lived as hunter-gatherers. Savannas and forests are often thought of as the cradle of our lineage, but beneath the waves, a habitat exists that has quietly supported humans for over 180,000 years. Archaeological evidence suggests that early humans migrated along coasts, avoiding desert and tundra. So, as Homo spread from Africa, they inevitably encountered seagrasses – flowering plants evolved to inhabit shallow coastal environments that form undersea meadows teeming with life. Our recently published research pieces together historical evidence from across the globe, revealing that humans and seagrass meadows have been intertwined for millennia – providing food, fishing grounds, building materials, medicine and more throughout our shared history. Our earliest known links to seagrass date back around 180,000 years. Tiny seagrass-associated snails were discovered in France at Paleolithic cave sites used by Neanderthals. Too small to be a consequence of food remains, these snails were likely introduced with Posidonia oceanica leaves used for bedding – a type of seagrass found only in the Mediterranean. Neanderthals didn’t just use seagrass to make sleeping comfortable – 120,000 year old evidence suggests they harvested seagrass-associated scallops too. A bountiful supply of food Seagrass meadows provide shelter and food for marine life, such as fish, invertebrates, reptiles and marine mammals. Because they inhabit shallow waters close to shore, seagrass meadows have been natural fishing grounds and places where generations have speared, cast nets, set traps and hand-gathered food to survive and thrive. Long before modern fishing fleets, ancient communities recognised the value of these underwater grasslands. Around 6,000 years ago, the people of eastern Arabia depended on seagrass meadows to hunt rabbitfish – a practice so prevalent here that remnants of their fishing traps are still visible from space. Historic stone fish traps designed to capture seagrass associated fish as the tide retreats. Photos Benjamin Jones Satelite image Apple Maps Seagrass meadows have even been directly harvested as food. Around 12,000 years ago, some of the first human cultures in North America, settling on Isla Cedros off the coast of Baja California, gathered and consumed seeds from Zostera marina, a species commonly called eelgrass. These seeds were milled into a flour and baked into breads and cakes, a process alike to wheat milling today. Further north, the Indigenous Kwakwaka’wakw peoples, as far back as 10,000 years ago, developed a careful and sustainable way of gathering eelgrass for consumption. By twisting a pole into the seagrass, they pulled up the leaves, and broke them off near the rhizome – the underground stem that is rich in sugary carbohydrates. After removing the roots and outer leaves, they wrapped the youngest leaves around the rhizome, dipping it in oil before eating. Remarkably, this method was later found to promote seagrass health, encouraging new growth and resilience. Today, seagrass meadows remain a lifeline for coastal communities, particularly across the Indian and Pacific Oceans. Here, fishing within seagrass habitats is shown to be more reliable than other coastal habitats and women often sustain their families by gleaning – a fishing practice that involves carefully combing seagrass meadows for edible shells and other marine life. For these communities, seagrass fishing is vital during periods when fishing at sea is not possible, for example, during tropical storms. When seagrasses returned to the sea around 100 million years ago, they evolved to have specialised leaves to tolerate both saltwater submergence and periods of time exposed to the sun during tidal cycles. This allowed seagrasses to flourish across our coastlines, but also made them useful resources for humans. Mudbricks discovered at the Malia Archaeological Site, Crete, contain remains of seagrass leaves. Olaf Tausch Wikimedia Commons Seagrass leaves, once dry, are relatively moist- and rot-proof – properties likely discovered by ancient civilisations when exploring the uses of plants for different purposes. Bronze age civilizations like the Minoans, used seagrass in building construction, reinforcing mudbricks with seagrass. Analysis of these reveal superior thermal properties of seagrass mudbricks compared to bricks made with other plant fibres – they kept buildings warmer in winter and cooler in summer. These unique properties may have been why early humans used seagrass for bedding and by the 16th century, seagrass-stuffed mattresses were prized for pest resistance, requested even by Pope Julius III. Three hundred year old seagrass thatched roof from the island of Læsø, Denmark. Jack Fridthjof/Visitlaesoe By the 17th century, Europeans were using seagrass to thatch roofs and insulate their homes. North American colonialists took this knowledge with them, continuing the practice. In the 19th century, commercial harvesting of tens of thousands of tonnes of seagrass began across North America and northern Europe. In the US, Boston’s Samuel Cabot Company patented an insulation material called Cabot’s “Quilt”, sandwiching dried seagrass leaves between two layers of paper. These quilts were used to insulate buildings across the US, including New York’s Rockefeller Center and the Capitol in Washington DC. A legacy ecosystem – and a living one The prevalence of seagrass throughout human civilisation has fostered spiritual and cultural relations with these underwater gardens, manifesting in rituals and historical customs. In Neolithic graves in Denmark, scientists found human remains wrapped in seagrass, representing a close connection with the sea. “If we have depended on seagrass for 180,000 years—for food, homes, customs—investing in their conservation and restoration is not just ecological, it’s deeply human,” said Project Seagrass’ Chief Conservation Officer Dr Benjamin Jones. “They were not just background scenery — they were practical, valuable, and even life-saving. They’re also solutions hiding in plain sight for things like food resilience — habitats that offer communities today a lifeline in times of need.” Our new research tells us that seagrass meadows are not just biodiversity hotspots or carbon storage systems. They are ancient human allies. This elevates their value beyond conservation – they’re repositories of cultural heritage and traditional knowledge. They were practical, valuable, and deeply integrated into human cultures. We have depended on seagrass for 180,000 years – for food, homes, customs – so investing in their conservation and restoration is not just ecological, it’s deeply human.
Seaweed farming is a rapidly expanding global industry. As a food resource, it has high nutritional value and doesn’t need fertilisers to grow. Seaweed provides valuable habitats for marine life, takes up carbon and absorbs nutrients, plus it helps protect our coastlines from erosion. Usually, seaweeds grow on hard, rocky surfaces. Yet, to farm seaweed, potential areas need to be easily accessible and relatively sheltered. This is where seaweed can grow with limited risk of being dislodged by waves. Seaweed farms in Asia, in countries like China and Indonesia, are responsible for more than 95% of global seaweed production. Seaweed farms, particularly those in Southeast Asia, are commonly in the very same environments where seagrass meadows thrive. Competition for resources ensues. Evidence shows that tropical seaweed farms, when placed in or on top of tropical seagrass meadows leads to a decline in the growth and productivity of seagrass. There is also evidence that seaweeds outcompete seagrasses in cooler waters, especially when nutrients in the water are very high. Despite negative interactions, such as shading, between seaweed and seagrass, some scientists now advocate for a global expansion of seaweed farming in areas where seagrass grows. This call, comes at a time when seagrass global initiatives are trying to stem seagrass loss. Efforts are underway to expand these habitats to their once extensive range to help fight climate change and biodiversity loss. Seagrass meadows are a crucial store of carbon, providing habitats for a wide array of animals. Why farm seaweed on top of seagrass? The reason that some scientists are advocating for farming seaweed in seagrass is that their research claims that the presence of seagrass reduces disease causing bacterial pathogens by 75%. A major win for a relatively low tech industry where seaweed disease outbreaks hinder production. These scientists are not the only ones advocating for seaweed production at scale. Global conservation charities, like World Wildlife Fund and The Nature Conservancy, as well as the Earthshot prize launched by Prince William all support seaweed cultivation programmes in areas likely to contain abundant seagrass. However, together with other scientists, we have argued in an academic response in the journal PNAS that their claim is premature. We are concerned that, without appropriate management, these seaweed programmes threaten marine biodiversity and the benefits that humans get from the ocean. Despite historic and globally widespread seaweed cultivation, effects on seagrass have mostly been ignored. Where studies exist, effects have been negative for seagrass, its ability to capture carbon, and the diverse animals that call it home. Entanglement of migratory animals, such as turtles and dugong with seaweed also needs wider consideration. This is especially the case given new legal frameworks to protect their habitat, and there is ongoing concern for these species being killed by seaweed farmers. The equity of coastal fishing grounds also comes into question, as communities that use seagrass for fishing are most likely to lose access. Conservation charities advocate for tropical seaweed farms for good reason. This is to improve community resilience in the face of degrading coral reefs and overfishing. While projects mostly have the best intentions, they often don’t consider cascading unintended consequences, nor the equity of the whole community. In reality, seaweed farm placement is effectively akin to ocean grabbing (the act of dispossession or appropriation of marine resources or spaces) with farmers winning on a “first come, first serve” basis, despite not owning the seabed. Some seagrass meadows in Zanzibar, Tanzania, have recovered since seaweed farms have been removed. GoogleEarth Sustainable standards If seaweed farming is to be expanded, standards for sustainability must be upheld and strengthened. In 2017, a sustainable seaweed standard was launched by the Aquaculture and Marine Stewardship Councils. But few tropical seaweed farms meet the criteria outlined in this standard due to known consequences that affect seagrass (rightly defined in the standard as vulnerable marine habitats) and likely negative effects on endangered species, like dugong, that frequent seagrass habitats. Seaweed cultivation strategies have mixed evidence for long-term success. In Tanzania, many farmers have abandoned the industry due to low monetary rewards compared to the investments they put in, and some evidence suggests that the activity reduces income and health, particularly for women. Where seaweed cultivation has been implemented to reduce fishing pressure, it has instead increased (and often just displaced) fishing activity. Given the rapidly increasing threats faced by tropical marine habitats despite the role they play in climate resilience, understanding trade-offs prior to large scale expansion of seaweed farming is a priority. To reduce further any negative effects, international programmes and research advocating for large-scale seaweed farms need to align more readily with the seaweed standard. More information: This article was published in The Conversation Jones. et al, Risks of habitat loss from seaweed cultivation within seagrass, PNAS (2025). https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.242697112 Seaweed farms are often placed on top of seagrass meadows. Niels Boere/flickr A women prepares seaweed ropes for deployment in the Wakatobi, Indonesia. Benjamin Jones/Project Seagrass
Project Seagrass, the world’s leading conservation organisation for seagrass meadows, has collaborated with Coldplay to launch an exclusive competition offering fans the chance to win tickets to see the band live in concert! As part of Project Seagrass’ ongoing mission to be a global voice for seagrass, and raise awareness of the critical role that seagrass meadows play for our planet, the competition encourages participants to create inspiring, impactful, and creative designs advocating for and communicating the science and importance of seagrass. Full details on the themes of the competition can be found on the Project Seagrass website, but Project Seagrass is hopeful that 100’s of creatives will take part. Seagrass meadows are vital for the health of our planet, but until relatively recently faced a charisma problem. “Global awareness of the importance of seagrass is one of the greatest challenges facing its conservation” said Dr Benjamin Jones, Project Seagrass’s Chief Conservation Officer. Often termed the “ugly duckling” of marine conservation, global advocacy for conserving seagrass has been hindered by assumptions that they aren’t as vibrant as other ocean habitats. With awareness of their importance for a wide variety of animals, from the tiniest of invertebrates, to the world’s largest herbivorous marine mammal, opinion is now changing. “Globally, the undersea meadows that seagrasses create are vital for biodiversity, stabilising our coastlines, absorbing carbon, and alleviating poverty in fishing communities dependent on them” said Dr Jones. However, seagrass meadows are under threat. Seagrass loss, primarily driven by land-use change, poor water quality, and human activity, is globally widespread. By participating in the competition, entrants are not only entering for the chance to see Coldplay live but also showing their support for marine conservation efforts. Competition Deadline: The competition will be open for entries until Sunday 16th February. The winners will be chosen by a panel of judges from Project Seagrass, Coldplay’s Management Team and an independent judge, award winning author and artist Janina Rossiter. The lucky winners will have the opportunity to see Coldplay live at Wembley Stadium in London in summer 2025! Project Seagrass invites everyone to take part in this exciting opportunity to combine creativity and environmental advocacy. For details about the competition, full terms and conditions, and to enter the competition, visit https://www.projectseagrass.org/coldplay-ticket-competition/ Photo Credit: Anna Lee
Scientists from the marine conservation charity Project Seagrass are undertaking seagrass planting experiments along the South & West Wales coastline, including a new planting site in Butetown along Cardiff’s Foreshore. Cardiff’s Foreshore is a popular place for sea-angling for species such as cod, which uses seagrass meadows as a nursery area. The Butetown site was identified as a potential location for seagrass restoration efforts based on the presence of small and isolated patches of existing seagrass growing naturally in the area. The scientists are using the experimental trials to explore the possibility of expanding these patches of seagrass for the benefit of biodiversity. Ben Jones, Chief Conservation Officer at Project Seagrass said, ‘We’ve known about these small patches of seagrass on the foreshore for some time, clinging on, in what looks and feels like quite an extreme site. There’s now huge potential to expand this and create a large and vibrant biodiverse space in this urban coastal environment.‘ Following site assessments and monitoring of the current seagrass patches over the last couple of years, Project Seagrass began small-scale seagrass planting trials earlier this year. 60,000 seagrass seeds, collected from a much larger seagrass meadow in Porthdinllaen in North Wales, were planted out on the foreshore in May, alongside 75 seagrass plants transplanted from a donor meadow in Llanelli. Emma Fox, South & West Wales Project Lead at Project Seagrass said, ‘The foreshore may not look like your typical site for a seagrass meadow, but exploring restoration within the shadow of Cardiff’s industrial past is an exciting, if challenging, opportunity to learn more about this versatile plant.” The scientists at Project Seagrass used experimental methods that have shown success in other parts of Wales, but unfortunately, initial monitoring has shown that the seeds and transplants planted in May mostly failed. A further 75 seagrass plants planted out in Llanelli at the same time were still present so the team will now use these failings as a learning exercise to devise new methods for use in the foreshore’s challenging environment. The planting on the Foreshore forms part of a wider programme of work to investigate sites along the South & West Wales coastline to identify and trial suitable restoration areas. The programme of work is delivered by Project Seagrass in partnership with Swansea University and with funding from Heritage Fund in partnership with Welsh Government; Wasserman Live; Rebel Restoration; and Ozone. To register interest for future volunteering opportunities as part of this programme please contact: volunteers@projectseagrass.org
Climate Impact Partners and Deloitte, in collaboration with Project Seagrass and the UK’s National Oceanography Centre, announce a groundbreaking program to fund UK seagrass recovery and unlock long-term finance to save and reinstate vital seagrass meadows. The program will fund critical research across UK seagrass meadows, mapping the ecosystems and developing methods to restore them at scale. Crucially, this work will support the development of a new seagrass carbon code in the UK and beyond – enabling companies to finance seagrass recovery at greater speed and scale. Despite seagrass’ crucial role in sequestering carbon, protecting coastlines, and supporting marine biodiversity; seagrass restoration has been underfunded, with nearly a third of seagrass lost globally in the last century. This program will look to address the barriers that prevent finance flowing to seagrass restoration, including improving the scientific knowledge of carbon sequestration, piloting new techniques for seagrass propagation and engaging communities in meadow restoration. This program forms a key part of Deloitte’s Beyond Value Chain Mitigation (BVCM) activities, supporting innovative solutions outside their value chain. Deloitte is using skills, influence and targeted investment to catalyze environmental and social impact across the energy transition, circularity, sustainable food systems and nature restoration. “Reaching net-zero will require the global economy to decarbonize as part of a connected system,” said Smruti Naik-Jones, Chief Sustainability Officer of Deloitte UK and North & South Europe. “This incredible seagrass program, developed by Climate Impact Partners, enables us to learn more about these marine ecosystems, fund critical research and help unlock a powerful tool in the fight against the climate crisis.” “Deloitte is demonstrating true climate leadership through this program. Seagrass offers a unique opportunity to mitigate climate change while delivering significant co-benefits for biodiversity and coastal communities,” said Kirsty Schneeberger, Head of Product Innovation at Climate Impact Partners. “Imagine seagrass meadows as underwater vaults – they lock away enormous amounts of carbon for long periods, potentially millennia, as long as they remain healthy and undisturbed. We need to ensure they receive long-term and large-scale financing to accelerate the restoration and protection of these underwater wonders.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1sEISirUSn0 “We need to protect and restore seagrass whilst supporting the continuation of sustainable human activities that occur amongst or depend directly upon seagrass ecosystems”, said Dr Leanne Cullen-Unsworth, Chief Executive Officer and Charity Co-Founder, Project Seagrass. “We need to do this now, as a connected global community. This program helps to deliver this.” “Seagrass meadows are the powerhouses of coastal seas providing a nature-based solution to climate change, said Dr Claire Evans, Biogeochemist, the UK’s National Oceanography Centre. “They have been neglected for decades, which has led to their large-scale degradation and loss. This program exemplifies how we can turn that loss into an opportunity for environmental renewal through large-scale restoration.” In coordination with Project Seagrass, a team of volunteers from Deloitte and Climate Impact Partners helped harvest seedlings from a healthy seagrass meadow for the recovery program.
196 of the world’s nations are committed under the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework to tackling nature loss. Habitat restoration is a major pathway to tackling this loss. For marine habitats such as seagrass, such restoration is often portrayed as an easy answer to fighting many of our planetary ills causing this nature loss. But as evidence grows of the issues and challenges of such activities, scientists from Project Seagrass and Swansea University have outlined ten golden rules to help improve this restoration. Their work is published today in an Open Access article in the journal Plants People Planet. The article responds to the increasing pressures faced by seagrass ecosystems globally and the need to rapidly rebuild marine life. The authors highlight throughout that in order to restore our ocean biodiversity, we first need to focus on reducing the stressors to these habitats, namely water quality, boating and coastal development. The authors who have been studying seagrass conservation and restoration argue for a shift beyond a singularised view of restoration as being about planting new meadows to a combined view where damaged and fragmented meadows are rejuvenated; threatened and diminishing meadows are protected; and more meadows become resilient. The rules confirm the need for collaborative approaches to restoration which create biodiverse ecosystems that support coastal communities and improve communities. Dr Richard Unsworth, lead author on the paper who is the Chief Scientific Officer at Project Seagrass and Associate Professor at Swansea University said, “To rebuild marine life at the scale and speed required to fight the biodiversity crisis and the climate emergency we need to think bigger, whereby we bring degraded habitats back to life at the same time as creating vast new habitat in support of coastal livelihoods, and community resilience” The paper has been published following the International Seagrass Biology Workshop (ISBW15) hosted in Naples, Italy earlier this year, the theme of this which was “Seagrasses in the Anthropocene”. As human activities place ever-increasing pressure on seagrass ecosystems at both a local and global scale the resulting changes in environmental conditions have altered seagrass ecosystems to an extent that has not previously been observed. The challenge currently facing the global community is the need to establish a new baseline and protect, restore, and rehabilitate the seagrass ecosystems that currently remain. Dr Benjamin Jones, Chief Conservation Officer at Project Seagrass and author of the paper says: “Coastal environments suffer from excess nutrients and contaminants from poor land management, deforestation and ineffective pollution management. If we are to place seagrass on a pathway to global net gain, for restoration to have any meaningful contribution, we also need to think about restoring watersheds and thinking upstream – restoring the land to restore the sea”. The ten golden rules originally developed by Unsworth and Jones for seagrass restoration, and outlined below, aim to ensure that existing seagrass is protected, that multiple and diverse stakeholders are involved in planning to support the selection of appropriate sites and ongoing stewardship, that appropriate restoration methods are utilized, and that realism is adopted in the face of the challenges surrounding global restoration efforts particularly in light of ongoing climatic pressure. Dr Leanne Cullen-Unsworth, CEO at Project Seagrass and an author of the paper says: “Fantastic progress is being made in the field of conservation and restoration of seagrass meadows, but in order for this to happen at the scale and speed required, we wanted to set out a series of holistic guidelines, based on available research and experience, that practitioners can follow for improved chances of success.” 10 Golden Rules for restoration to secure resilient and just seagrass social-ecological systems (set out in detail below) Protect existing seagrass first Work together Create biodiverse ecosystems with multiple functions for people and planet Select appropriate sites for restoration Determine appropriate restoration methods Use resilient plant materials and future proof your project Maximize the potential opportunity of the restoration Plan ahead for infrastructure, capacity, and restoration material Develop realistic informed goals and reporting Make it pay 10 Golden Rules (Detailed summary of the paper) 1. Protect existing seagrass first Amidst the context of growing interest in seagrass restoration, the authors emphasize that it is much slower, more difficult, and more expensive to re-plant seagrass meadows than it is to protect those that currently remain. Protection from localized stressors can relieve pressure on our existing seagrass be this through the implementation of improved water quality from better catchment management, reduced boating damage, establishment of Marine Protected Areas or through the encouragement of alternative low-impact livelihoods, tourism, and fishing practices. The authors also outline the need to prioritise which seagrass meadows to protect taking into consideration predicted future climatic conditions such as changing temperatures, sea level rise, land use change, and the gradual topicalization of temperate systems. 2. Work together Restoration is a collaborative process and the authors discuss the importance of the involvement of multiple and diverse stakeholders, expertise, and experience throughout all stages of the restoration process. Seagrass social-ecological systems support diverse uses and livelihoods, from fishing and recreation, to harvesting of raw plant material. Rights and equality are central, and stakeholders should be encouraged to continue activities, not just undisturbed, but enhanced by increased seagrass resilience. Engaging local communities and stakeholders during the site selection period is essential as these groups will often become the long-term custodians of the restoration site. Without working together, long-term seagrass restoration at scale is simply not possible and finding ways to bring people together to co-design restoration projects will enhance the social capital of resulting habitats. 3. Create biodiverse ecosystems with multiple functions for people and planet The overarching aim of seagrass restoration should be to maximise the biomass and biodiversity of meadows such that they support diverse and resilient ecosystem functioning and services for people and planet. The authors discuss how natural systems simultaneously produce multiple ecosystem services that interrelate in complex and dynamic ways. An overly narrow focus on a limited set of ecosystem services can lead to
Thanks to the support of local volunteers and landowners Stena Line, 50,000 seagrass seeds were planted last month at sites near Holyhead, covering an area of 150 m2. The planting followed on from a successful stakeholder engagement session held at Holyhead Sailing Club in March 2024, which was attended by members of the local community, alongside several local businesses and organisations. Pen Llŷn a’r Sarnau Special Area of Conservation Officer Alison Palmer Hargrave said “It has been fantastic to start the planting trials on Anglesey. I’d like to say a big thank you to all those that took part and helped make it successful. We also met some great people at a recent drop-in session in Holyhead, and I’m looking forward to working with them in the coming months.” The two planting sites in the Holyhead Bay (Penrhos Headland and Penrhyn) were selected based on local ecological knowledge provided by the community and because small patches of seagrass were found in these areas. The team will be back in the autumn to monitor the planted seagrass to inform future planting plans. The spring planting in the Holyhead Bay forms part of a wider programme of work called Seagrass Ocean Rescue North Wales, which aims to plant seagrass over an area of ten hectares across North Wales between 2022 and 2026. The programme is being managed by WWF, in partnership with Project Seagrass, the North Wales Wildlife Trust and Pen Llŷn a’r Sarnau Special Area of Conservation (SAC) and Swansea University. The programme is made possible with support from funders that include the National Lottery Heritage Fund, Garfield Weston Foundation, and the Moondance Foundation. There will be more opportunities to get involved in the project including future planting events, seed collection, seagrass festivals, and drop-in sessions. For more information about the upcoming programme please contact Alison at: alisonpalmerhargrave@gwynedd.llyw.cymru or to volunteer, please email: volunteers@projectseagrass.org
The World Seagrass Association Inc. invites expressions of interest from members and interested organisations/institutions who would like to host the 16th International Seagrass Biology Workshop (ISBW) in 2026. The International Seagrass Biology Workshop series is a meeting of research scientists, students and coastal environment managers focusing on global seagrass issues, improving seagrass knowledge, developing networks and advocating for seagrass protection/conservation. ISBWs are often 4-6 day events, made up of 2-3 days of talks (in a conference setting) and 1-2 days of workshops and often include an additional day for a field trip. Participants are generally around 100 individuals, however, this is highly dependent on the venue. The timing for ISBWs has mostly been late September, although the timing is dependent on what is most suitable for the hosting country (e.g. tides, holidays, etc). We would also like to encourage organisations/institutions in localities that have been underrepresented in past ISBWs to consider hosting this event to highlight the need for seagrass research and to expand our research networks. After the first official ISBW in 1993 it was decided that meetings were to be held at two year intervals, swapping between developed and developing nation locations. The 2024 meeting (ISBW15) will be held in Naples, Italy, from 17-21 June, in conjunction with the World Seagrass Conference (WSC2024) (https://www.isbw15.it/). Past ISBW venues include:ISBW1 (1993) Japan – KominatoISBW2 (1996) Australia – Rottnest IslandISBW3 (1998) The Philippines – Quezon City and BolinaoISBW4 (2000) France – Corsica!SBW5 (2002) Mexico – EnsenadaISBW6 (+Conference) (2004) Australia -Townsville and Magnetic islandISBW7 (2006) Africa – ZanzibarISBW8 (2008) Canada – Bamfield, Vancouver islandISBW9 (+Conference) (2010) Thailand – Phuket and Trang ProvinceISBW10 (2012) Brazil – BuziosISBW11 (2014) China – Sanya, Hainan ProvinceISBW12 (2016) United Kingdom – Nant Gwrtheyrn, WalesISBW13 (+Conference) (2018) SingaporeISBW14 (+Conference) (2022) USA – Annapolis, Maryland To read about the history of the ISBW series, seeColes, R., Short, F., Fortes, M. and Kuo, J (2014) Twenty years of seagrass networking and advancing seagrass science: The International Seagrass Biology Workshop Series. Pacific Conservation Biology 20(1): 8–16. (http://www.publish.csiro.au/nid/302/paper/PC140008.htm), andHind-Ozan, E.J., Jones, B.L., 2017. Seagrass science is growing: A report on the 12th International Seagrass Biology Workshop. Marine Pollution Bulletin.http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2017.08.017 The International Seagrass Biology Workshop (ISBW) is an official activity of the World Seagrass Association Inc., and WSA Inc. plays a guiding role, and assists the Convener/Organising Committee when requested. Members or organisations/institutions who are interested in hosting the 16th International Seagrass Biology Workshop (ISBW) in 2026 should submit an Expression of Interest by email to Len McKenzie, Secretary, World Seagrass Association Inc., at wsa.secretary@gmail.com no later than March 01, 2024.Expressions of Interest should be no longer than 3 pages and include the following:• Name of Applicant• Applicant’s contact information including physical address and email address• Proposed Hosting Institution (add a brief description)• Country and proposed location for the event• Institutional Support• Tentative Venue Details (conference, workshop and field trips)• Preliminary Proposed Theme• Travel & Visa Considerations• Health & Safety Considerations• Diversity, Equity & Inclusivity ConsiderationsThe WSA may require more detailed information in future before a final decision. If you require additional information or any enquiries, please email wsa.secretary@gmail.com Previous Post January 15, 2024 ISBW press release updates World Seagrass Association
Internationally renowned charity Project Seagrass is marking it’s tenth anniversary by re-launching its citizen science website and mobile app SeagrassSpotter which enables anyone and everyone to engage with the seagrass meadows on their doorstep or anywhere else in the world, whether it’s there now or it once was. SeagrassSpotter was established in 2016 and allows people to upload point data showing the presence of seagrass with photo evidence. Since its initial launch, it has gathered over 7,000 sightings of seagrass from over 3,500 users across 105 countries and has recorded 45 species of seagrass. It’s relaunch will include new features, such as being able to record absence data to track where seagrass may have once existed but is now lost. Dr Leanne Cullen-Unsworth, CEO at Project Seagrass, said: “Over the last ten years, we have successfully raised awareness of the importance of seagrass and the role it plays in tackling the biodiversity and climate crises. Now we must accelerate efforts to protect and restore this vital habitat. Everyone can have a part to play in securing a future for seagrass and SeagrassSpotter is a great tool to engage and connect people in seagrass science and mapping all over the world.” The UK alone has lost up to 92% of its seagrass meadows, an essential ecosystem that protects our coasts, supports the fishing industry, and puts food on our tables. To monitor, identify and stop the loss of seagrass all over the world, Project Seagrass is calling for more people to engage in citizen science and not only record where seagrass meadows can be seen, but where they once were and now no longer are. Saving the world’s seagrass meadows is an essential task if we are to address both the climate and biodiversity crises, but making waves to do this requires the many, rather than the few. Seagrass has long been the unknown and forgotten oceanic plant, a plant that was once terrestrial, and is now becoming a household name as we learn more about its significance to both people and planet. For instance, seagrass supports 20% of the world’s largest commercial fisheries, therefore without it, our fish stocks will continue to drastically reduce. There are also communities all over the world who are dependent on seagrass, as their main food source, fish, derives from their local seagrass meadows. When considering nature-based solutions, seagrass meadows are high on the agenda and a hot topic for carbon sequestration and biodiversity support, however, the science required to evidence the quantities is not yet complete. We therefore have much to do in the next decade to ensure we protect the seagrass we have and put back what we have lost. To achieve this, we must all play our part, which is why citizen science is on the rise. With more people actively engaging in local projects, now is the perfect opportunity for Project Seagrass to re-launch their citizen science web platform and phone app, SeagrassSpotter. To explore the SeagrassSpotter tool visit https://seagrassspotter.org/
