Eye on Seagrass Management; are seagrasses protected in high cumulative impact areas?

Seagrasses represent one of the richest and most important coastal habitats in the ocean however their accelerated rates of decline have made them among the most threatened ecosystems on earth. Seagrasses are threatened by... [ view full abstract ]

Seagrasses represent one of the richest and most important coastal habitats in the ocean however their accelerated rates of decline have made them among the most threatened ecosystems on earth. Seagrasses are threatened by coastal urbanisation, development, destructive fishing and climate change, so they provide a useful case-study to explore how vulnerable habitats are protected in areas subject to multiple threats. Here I reviewed the different management approaches used to protect seagrass habitats in global hotspots of cumulative impacts. Seagrass protection was enacted inconsistently through a range of legislative, policy and planning processes that typically only addressed some aspects of threat mitigation. Water quality was the only threat addressed in all regions. High level strategies that recognise the importance of preserving biodiversity and ecosystem services have been developed in the majority of regions analysed; however actionable plans to specifically address multiple threats are lacking. Further, the lack of integration between different management approaches meant that cumulative impacts were typically not addressed. Coastal management of the German Wadden Sea provided one of the most comprehensive forms of protection for seagrass habitats. Management of cumulative impacts are best achieved through: the integration of terrestrial and marine policies that incorporate a holistic mandate; actionable plans that extend over biologically relevant spatial scales; international agreements/policies that provide support platforms and motivation to act; and having an active community participation program. Consideration of multiple threats into coastal management requires significant progress if vulnerable coastal habitats are to be adequately protected given global coastal urbanisation projections.