Why is Seagrass important?

Seagrasses are vital to the health of our oceans and societies, supporting one in five of the world’s largest fisheries and providing livelihoods and food security for millions worldwide. They also play a significant role in helping communities adapt to and mitigate the effects of climate change by providing coastal protection and sequestering carbon.

Despite their importance, seagrasses are yet underrecognized allies for climate mitigation and adaptation, and are under-mapped and under-protected, with current global estimates ranging between 177,000 to 600,000 km² due to inconsistent mapping methods and data gaps. This limited data on seagrass coverage in the WIO remains a major barrier to their effective conservation and management.