World Seagrass Day 2023

March 1, 2023

The seagrasses are grass-like plants that live close to the sea. They are the only flowering plant to grow in the marine environment. There are more than 60 seagrass species in the world. They act as the best carbon sink and provide food for marine life. The United Nations celebrates World Seagrass Day on March 1. The resolution to celebrate the day was passed in 2022.

Significance of seagrass

Seagrasses cover only 0.1% of the sea floor. They provide shelter and food to almost all marine life like seahorses, fish, turtles, etc.
The seagrasses improve water quality by adding nutrients, filtering, and cycling.
They can store upto 18% of the ocean’s carbon and therefore are considered powerful tools to tackle climate change
Seagrass buffers ocean acidification. They support the most vulnerable species in the oceans.
During high tidal waves and tsunamis, they are the first line of protector

Need for World Seagrass Day

The seagrasses have been declining since the 1930s. IUCN categorizes nearly 21% of the world’s seagrasses as near threatened or vulnerable or endangered. Pollution, coastal development activities, and land-based run-offs are degrading the seagrasses.

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