Government
DECR Commemorates World Seagrass Day
#TurksandCaicos, March 2, 2023 – The plight of seagrass habits around the globe is being highlighted as part of the very first World Seagrass Day. In May 2022 the United Nations declared today, March 1st, as World Seagrass Day in a bid to raise awareness of the threats these essential marine habitats currently face.
Seagrasses are marine flowering plants that are found in shallow waters in many parts of the world, from the tropics to the Arctic circle. They form extensive underwater meadows, creating complex, highly productive and biologically rich habitats.
Covering only 0.1% of the ocean floor, these seagrass meadows provide food and shelter to thousands of species of fish, seahorses, turtles, and conch, and sustain some of the world’s largest fisheries. They improve water quality by filtering, cycling and storing nutrients and pollutants, reducing contamination in seafood. Highly efficient carbon sinks, they can store up to 18% of the world’s oceanic carbon, making them powerful nature-based solutions to tackle climate change impacts. Because they buffer ocean acidification, they contribute to the resilience of the most vulnerable ecosystems and species, such as coral reefs. And to coastal populations such as the Turks and Caicos Islands, they act as the first line of defense along coasts by reducing wave energy, protecting people from the increasing risk of floods and storms.
Despite its important contribution to sustainable development and climate change mitigation and adaptation, this core component of marine biodiversity is in danger. The combined pressures of coastal development, pollution, including land-based run-off, climate change, dredging and unregulated fishing and boating activities are key drivers of the degradation of seagrasses and their associated ecosystems.
The easiest way to protect seagrasses is by preventing damage in the first place:
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Be Aware: Be careful when applying fertilizers and pesticides to landscaping. Use only the amount of fertilizer required and consider using a slow-release fertilizer. Contaminated run-off transports chemicals to
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Read the Waters: Wear polarized sunglasses when boating to reduce the surface glare to help you see shallow areas and seagrass beds.
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Know Your Boating Signs and Markers: Operate your boat in marked channels to prevent running aground and damaging your boat and seagrass beds. Know the correct side to stay on when approaching channel markers. Learn the shapes and markings of signs warning boaters of dangerous shallows and areas where boats are prohibited by law.
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Know Your Depth and Draft: When in doubt about the depth, slow down and idle. If you are leaving a muddy trail behind your boat, you are probably cutting seagrass. Tilt or stop your engine if necessary. If you run aground, pole or walk your boat to deeper water. Never try to motor your way out. This will cause extensive damage to seagrass and may harm your motor. Know the times for your low and high tides.
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Be On the Lookout: Do not anchor in seagrass beds, but rather look for open, sandy patches in which to anchor.
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Study Your Charts: Use navigational charts to alert you to shallow areas so you don’t run aground and damage seagrass. Know before you go.
Image Credit: Lilly Palmer