Timed to coincide with World Seagrass Day, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has announced fourteen new locally-led seagrass conservation projects across Africa under the Great Blue Wall initiative. Although seagrasses cover only 0.1% of the ocean floor, they play a critical role in storing nearly 18% of the ocean’s carbon and providing essential habitat for species such as seahorses, turtles, and fish, supporting some of the world’s largest fisheries.
Seagrass habitats have been declining since the 1930s, with the latest estimates showing a global loss of around 7% per year, driven by coastal development, pollution, climate change, dredging, and unregulated fishing and boating activities. The new projects aim to counteract this degradation by establishing a ‘living blue belt’ linking Comoros, Kenya, Madagascar, Mozambique, and Tanzania under the broader Great Blue Wall initiative.
Funds have been directly allocated to local organizations, including community-based groups, civil society organizations, and research institutions, to implement context-specific solutions for seagrass protection and restoration. Activities include expanding Locally Managed Marine Areas (LMMAs), establishing baselines for restoration efforts, and promoting regenerative blue economy approaches such as sustainable small-scale fisheries and dugong-focused eco-tourism. These projects are designed to strengthen both ecosystem resilience and local livelihoods while contributing to climate mitigation and biodiversity conservation.
