Seagrass meadows around the world continue to be under threat from the activities of humans. Over fishing, climate change, coastal development, extreme weather and poor land management are all contributing to the continued global loss of these diverse and productive marine habitats that are critical for the continued functioning of the coastal environment and the services it provides.<\/p>\n
Over the last decade a range of publications by leading global scientists have highlighted how governments, communities, industry and global conservation are failing to take the action necessary to prevent the further degradation of these important ecosystem service providers. Recent high profile research publications have shown how individual seagrass species are potentially under threat from extinction, whilst the global area of seagrass is being reduced at a rate of up to two soccer fields per hour.<\/p>\n
Seagrass meadows are a valuable means of support for global food security due to their role as critically important nursery habitats for many of the world\u2019s fisheries. They also directly provide fishery habitat and support endangered species such as the dugongs and green turtles. Seagrass meadows bubble oxygen into the water and sediments, sucking carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and cleaning the coastal environment of many pollutants. \u00a0If current patterns of habitat loss coupled to the increasing influence of climate change are not controlled then the world faces a\u00a0 potentially future devoid of these productive, valuable and diverse habitats.<\/p>\n
Not many people know what a seagrass meadow is, but it\u2019s estimated that 1 billion people live within 50 km of one. Today, on World Oceans Day, scientists from the World Seagrass Association are seeking to highlight the value and threats to these meadows so that greater emphasis and resources are placed on their conservation.<\/p>\n
To help save seagrasses into the future the World needs to:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n