Around 21% of seagrass species are classified as « near threatened, » « vulnerable, » or « endangered » on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species, according to data published by the UN on the occasion of World Seagrass Day, celebrated annually on March 1st.
According to the same source, seagrasses are composed of marine flowering plants and are found in shallow waters across many regions of the world, from the tropics to the Arctic Circle. These plants form vast underwater meadows, creating a complex ecosystem with high productivity and rich biodiversity.
Despite covering only 0.1% of the ocean floor, these marine meadows provide shelter and food for thousands of species, including fish, seahorses, and turtles, while also supporting the health of some of the world’s largest fisheries. They improve water quality by filtering, absorbing, and storing nutrients and pollutants, thereby reducing seafood contamination. As highly efficient carbon sinks, they can store up to 18% of the world’s oceanic carbon, making them a nature-based solution to combat climate change. By mitigating ocean acidification, they enhance the resilience of ecosystems and vulnerable species, such as coral reefs. Additionally, for coastal communities, seagrasses serve as the first line of defense against coastal erosion by reducing wave energy, thereby protecting populations from the increasing risk of floods and storms.
According to the United Nations, seagrasses are distributed across 159 countries and six continents, covering an area of over 300,000 km², making them one of the largest coastal habitats on the planet. Nearly 30% of these meadows have disappeared since the late 19th century, and at least 22 out of 72 seagrass species are at risk of extinction.
Seagrass meadows have been in global decline since the 1930s, with the latest assessments estimating that 7% of this vital marine habitat disappears each year. Coastal development, pollution—including land-based runoff—climate change, dredging, and unregulated fishing and navigation activities are the main drivers of seagrass degradation and ecosystem loss.
The UN therefore considers that the management, conservation, and restoration of seagrasses should be an essential component of future sustainable blue economy strategies.
Source: webmanagercenter
