Looking ahead with analysis to better understand and enhance seagrass recovery

SEAGRASS meadows - lush, ribbon-like fields beneath the waves - are slowly recovering in Devon.

- by STAFF REPORTER

These fragile underwater habitats, which play a vital role in improving water quality, locking away carbon and providing shelter for marine life, are showing signs of recovery, thanks to various initiatives to protect and expand them, including in Tor Bay.

South West Water (SWW) is now funding research to better understand how its operations can support the seagrass comeback and what more can be done to accelerate it. In partnership with the University of Exeter’s Centre for Resilience in Environment, Water and Waste, and other organisations involved in seagrass restoration such as Plymouth Marine Laboratory and the Ocean Conservation Trust, SWW is investigating the health of seagrass beds in estuaries from the River Tamar to the River Exe.

Dr Chris Laing, of the University of Exeter, the lead researcher on the project, sai

“This work represents an important step in us better understanding the impacts of waste water on coastal marine habitats.

“Seagrass meadows are both critical habitats to protect and excellent indicators of marine health generally”