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Global Seagrass Monitoring at ERF '01

Seagrasses are positioned at the interface of land and sea, encountering runoff and terrestrially derived pollution that decreases seawater clarity and quality, as well as water borne pollutants mixing in the coastal zone. Under normal conditions, seagrasses thrive at this interface, but when pollution levels and coastal developments increase, seagrasses can be stressed and disappear. Globally, the issue of seagrass habitat loss requires attention: all too often, because of their submerged nature, seagrasses are overlooked when environmental consequences are examined. By monitoring these habitats, coastal environmental degradation could be detected early before coastal ecosystems experience irreparable losses. Early detection through monitoring will allow more effective policy and management intervention to protect and sustain the ocean, yielding information about the status of seagrasses before widespread losses occur.

The goal of monitoring of seagrasses globally was affirmed at the 3rd International Seagrass Biology Workshop held in Malta last fall. It was acknowledged by all attending this meeting that there is a lack of information on the status and health of seagrasses worldwide, particularly in the less economically developed parts of the world. Natural resources are being lost due to lack of basic knowledge of their existence. Efforts to monitor known seagrass areas and to reconnoiter uncharted seagrasses are important first steps in understanding the extent of the seagrass resource and in sustaining that resource worldwide.

SeagNet, a seagrass information network, is being established to form a database which will archive and display global monitoring results on the World Wide Web. SeagMon, a global seagrass monitoring program, is now established (by whom?)to bring together interested individuals and establish a coordinated monitoring effort. At ERF '01, I propose to convene a special workshop on "Global Seagrass Monitoring" that will provide an opportunity for anyone interested to learn about SeagMon and become involved in the broad scale application of this program. If you are interested in this topic, please get in touch with me.