We work with coastal communities – the main custodians and most important beneficiaries of seagrass ecosystem services – to develop and apply effective conservation tools that meet their own needs, whilst protecting seagrass and the ecosystem services it provides. By working with local partners, we empower coastal communities to identify and implement conservation and management measures that are suitable for the local context, such as establishing locally managed marine protected areas, regulating fishing gear, implementing temporary closures, and build their capacity to manage and monitor the measures they implement.  

We promote a participatory approach to the development of new and improved policies for the conservation and management of seagrass ecosystems by linking coastal communities and local policymakers. 

Our local partners engage coastal communities in assessments of their policy needs and priorities, complementing traditional ecological knowledge with scientific data to support evidence-based policy. Our work mainstreams seagrass ecosystem services conservation into policy, planning and regulatory frameworks, protecting the needs of both seagrass ecosystems and coastal communities at the local, national and international level. Ultimately, our policy work at country level is founded on global science and research that reflects the critical role and full value of seagrass.