Conservation seagrass ecosystems – safeguarding food security and resilience in vulnerable coastal communities
Seagrass is an essential food source for dugongs and other marine wildlife and provides key ecosystem services (e.g. fisheries productivity and carbon sequestration). Seagrass ecosystems are declining globally due to pressure from coastal development, fishing and boating, pollution and climate change. Information on the status of seagrass ecosystems and the services that they provide is lacking. The project contributes to reducing these knowledge gaps by engaging local NGOs and communities in the conservation of seagrass. NGOs are trained in participatory science to enable them to collect data and identify key seagrass areas. This information is then used to engage communities and decision makers in developing policies for seagrass conservation. In parallel, the project implements alternative business models in coastal communities to improve livelihoods and contribute funds for seagrass conservation. This enhances the sustainability of seagrass ecosystems in the Indo-Pacific.
- Countries
- Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, Timor-Leste, India
- IKI funding
- 5,280,000.00 €
- Duration
- 01/2019 till 04/2026
- Status
- open
- Implementing organisation
- Secretariat of Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS) - Abu Dhabi
- Political Partner
-
- Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) - Philippines
- Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Environment - Timor Leste
- Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries - Indonesia
- Phuket Marine Biological Centre - Thailand
- Sea Turtle and Marine Endangered Species Research Centre - Malaysia
- Implementing Partner
-
- Blue Ventures
- Marine Research Foundation MARECET
State of implementation/results
- Key Policy Developments (2020-2024)
- Thailand (2023-2024):
- The Dugong and Seagrass Conservation Plan is now part of the Trang Provincial Development Plan, establishing a 286-hectare protected area at Koh Mook for dugong habitats and enhancing stakeholder engagement via a new Provincial Marine and Coastal Resources Academic Sub-Committee.
- Indonesia (2023):
- Marine spatial planning in North Sulawesi integrates seagrass data, improving local ecosystem management. The National Dugong Conservation Plan has been strengthened by adding sighting data to Indonesia's Conservation Database System, contributing to frameworks for Blue Carbon and NDCs.
- Philippines (2023):
- The Environmentally Critical Areas Network (ECAN) Zoning in Palawan now recognizes seagrass ecosystems, marking a significant step in biodiversity protection and sustainable marine resource management.
- Timor Leste (2024):
- A 247-hectare locally managed marine area (LMMA) was established in Hera, guided by Tara Bandu customary law, promoting sustainable fishing and seagrass conservation through community leadership.
- Malaysia (2024):
- The Dugong National Plan of Action has been revised to enhance seagrass protection, with ongoing efforts to establish a dugong sanctuary in Johor, reinforcing Malaysia's commitment to marine conservation.
- India (2024):
- A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Thanjavur Forest Division facilitates contributions to seagrass and dugong conservation, complemented by a drone technology workshop in the Palk Bay region for improved ecosystem monitoring.
- Thailand (2023-2024):
- Generated Scientific Data (2020-2024):
- Project generated data on blue carbon, seagrass mapping and ecosystem evaluations set baselines across five countries at these sites:
- Malaysia: Johor and Penang.
- Thailand: Trang Province.
- Indonesia: North Minahasa and Sangihe Islands.
- Philippines: Roxas, Palawan.
- Timor Leste: Hera Bay.
- Project generated data on blue carbon, seagrass mapping and ecosystem evaluations set baselines across five countries at these sites:
- Established Community-Led Business Models (2020-2024):
- Thailand:
- Community-based tourism in Trang thrives and won the "Best Ecotourism Initiative" award.
- Timor Leste:
- Community homestay in Atuaro island establishes.
- Indonesia:
- Spirulina farms in Tarabitan and Yogyakarta produce 4,000 portions daily, marketed as "Mermaid Spirulina." POKMASWAS, a monitoring group, supports volunteer data collection and marine resource management.
- Business model: 10% of profits reinvested in marine ecosystem conservation.
- Thailand:
- Successful Communication and Capacity Building Initiatives (2023-2024):
- A workshop in Bogor enhanced partners' skills in blue carbon assessment and participatory video techniques.
- Participatory videos are available from Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, and Timor Leste, with production starting soon in India.
- This work was supported by project partners SAN (Thailand), MareCet (Malaysia), Blue Ventures (Timor Leste), C3 and ZSL (Philippines), and SDMRI (India), along with Edith Cowan University, Project Seagrass, Seagrass Watch, and Marine Research Foundation, led by the CMS Dugong MOU.
Project Website:
- Information on the IKI compliant mechanism is now live on the project website the Dugong and Seagrass Hub (www.dugongseagrass.org).
- Dedicated social media were created in support of the website on
- Twitter (twitter.com/…)
- Instagram (www.instagram.com/…)
- Facebook (www.facebook.com/…).
Latest Update:
03/2025
Project relations
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