Accessibility Statement Skip Navigation
  • Resources
  • Blog
  • Journalists
  • +44 (0)20 7454 5110
  • Client Login
  • Send a Release
Return to PR Newswire homepage
  • News
  • Products
  • Contact
When typing in this field, a list of search results will appear and be automatically updated as you type.

Searching for your content...

No results found. Please change your search terms and try again.
  • News in Focus
      • Browse News Releases

      • All Public Company News
      • All Multimedia News
      • View All News Releases

      • Regulatory News

      • D/A/CH Regulatory News
      • UK Regulatory News
      • View All Regulatory News

  • Business & Money
      • Auto & Transportation

      • Aerospace & Defense
      • Air Freight
      • Airlines & Aviation
      • Automotive
      • Maritime & Shipbuilding
      • Railroads & Intermodal Transportation
      • Supply Chain/Logistics
      • Transportation, Trucking & Railroad
      • Travel
      • Trucking & Road Transportation
      • View All Auto & Transportation

      • Business Technology

      • Blockchain
      • Broadcast Tech
      • Computer & Electronics
      • Computer Hardware
      • Computer Software
      • Data Analytics
      • Electronic Commerce
      • Electronic Components
      • Electronic Design Automation
      • Financial Technology
      • High Tech Security
      • Internet Technology
      • Nanotechnology
      • Networks
      • Peripherals
      • Semiconductors
      • View All Business Technology

      • Entertain­ment & Media

      • Advertising
      • Art
      • Books
      • Entertainment
      • Film & Motion Picture
      • Magazines
      • Music
      • Publishing & Information Services
      • Radio & Podcast
      • Television
      • View All Entertain­ment & Media

      • Financial Services & Investing

      • Accounting News & Issues
      • Acquisitions, Mergers & Takeovers
      • Banking & Financial Services
      • Bankruptcy
      • Bond & Stock Ratings
      • Conference Call Announcements
      • Contracts
      • Cryptocurrency
      • Dividends
      • Earnings
      • Earnings Forecasts & Projections
      • Financing Agreements
      • Insurance
      • Investments Opinions
      • Joint Ventures
      • Mutual Funds
      • Private Placement
      • Real Estate
      • Restructuring & Recapitalisation
      • Sales Reports
      • Shareholder Activism
      • Shareholder Meetings
      • Stock Offering
      • Stock Split
      • Venture Capital
      • View All Financial Services & Investing

      • General Business

      • Awards
      • Commercial Real Estate
      • Corporate Expansion
      • Earnings
      • Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG)
      • Human Resource & Workforce Management
      • Licensing
      • New Products & Services
      • Obituaries
      • Outsourcing Businesses
      • Overseas Real Estate (non-US)
      • Personnel Announcements
      • Real Estate Transactions
      • Residential Real Estate
      • Small Business Services
      • Socially Responsible Investing
      • Surveys, Polls & Research
      • Trade Show News
      • View All General Business

  • Science & Tech
      • Consumer Technology

      • Artificial Intelligence
      • Blockchain
      • Cloud Computing/Internet of Things
      • Computer Electronics
      • Computer Hardware
      • Computer Software
      • Consumer Electronics
      • Cryptocurrency
      • Data Analytics
      • Electronic Commerce
      • Electronic Gaming
      • Financial Technology
      • Mobile Entertainment
      • Multimedia & Internet
      • Peripherals
      • Social Media
      • STEM (Science, Tech, Engineering, Math)
      • Supply Chain/Logistics
      • Wireless Communications
      • View All Consumer Technology

      • Energy & Natural Resources

      • Alternative Energies
      • Chemical
      • Electrical Utilities
      • Gas
      • General Manufacturing
      • Mining
      • Mining & Metals
      • Oil & Energy
      • Oil & Gas Discoveries
      • Utilities
      • Water Utilities
      • View All Energy & Natural Resources

      • Environ­ment

      • Conservation & Recycling
      • Environmental Issues
      • Environmental Policy
      • Environmental Products & Services
      • Green Technology
      • Natural Disasters
      • View All Environ­ment

      • Heavy Industry & Manufacturing

      • Aerospace & Defence
      • Agriculture
      • Chemical
      • Construction & Building
      • General Manufacturing
      • HVAC (Heating, Ventilation & Air-Conditioning)
      • Machinery
      • Machine Tools, Metalworking & Metallurgy
      • Mining
      • Mining & Metals
      • Paper, Forest Products & Containers
      • Precious Metals
      • Textiles
      • Tobacco
      • View All Heavy Industry & Manufacturing

      • Telecomm­unications

      • Carriers & Services
      • Mobile Entertainment
      • Networks
      • Peripherals
      • Telecommunications Equipment
      • Telecommunications Industry
      • VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol)
      • Wireless Communications
      • View All Telecomm­unications

  • Lifestyle & Health
      • Consumer Products & Retail

      • Animals & Pets
      • Beers, Wines & Spirits
      • Beverages
      • Bridal Services
      • Cannabis
      • Cosmetics & Personal Care
      • Fashion
      • Food & Beverages
      • Furniture & Furnishings
      • Home Improvement
      • Household, Consumer & Cosmetics
      • Household Products
      • Jewellery
      • Non-Alcoholic Beverages
      • Office Products
      • Organic Food
      • Product Recalls
      • Restaurants
      • Retail
      • Supermarkets
      • Toys
      • View All Consumer Products & Retail

      • Entertain­ment & Media

      • Advertising
      • Art
      • Books
      • Entertainment
      • Film & Motion Picture
      • Magazines
      • Music
      • Publishing & Information Services
      • Radio & Podcast
      • Television
      • View All Entertain­ment & Media

      • Health

      • Biometrics
      • Biotechnology
      • Clinical Trials & Medical Discoveries
      • Dentistry
      • FDA Approval
      • Fitness/Wellness
      • Health Care & Hospitals
      • Health Insurance
      • Infection Control
      • International Medical Approval
      • Medical Equipment
      • Medical Pharmaceuticals
      • Mental Health
      • Pharmaceuticals
      • Supplementary Medicine
      • View All Health

      • Sports

      • General Sports
      • Outdoors, Camping & Hiking
      • Sporting Events
      • Sports Equipment & Accessories
      • View All Sports

      • Travel

      • Amusement Parks & Tourist Attractions
      • Gambling & Casinos
      • Hotels & Resorts
      • Leisure & Tourism
      • Outdoors, Camping & Hiking
      • Passenger Aviation
      • Travel Industry
      • View All Travel

  • Policy & Public Interest
      • Policy & Public Interest

      • Animal Welfare
      • Corporate Social Responsibility
      • Economic News, Trends & Analysis
      • Education
      • Environmental
      • European Government
      • Labour & Union
      • Natural Disasters
      • Not For Profit
      • Public Safety
      • View All Policy & Public Interest

  • People & Culture
      • People & Culture

      • Aboriginal, First Nations & Native American
      • African American
      • Asian American
      • Children
      • Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
      • Hispanic
      • Lesbian, Gay & Bisexual
      • Men's Interest
      • People with Disabilities
      • Religion
      • Senior Citizens
      • Veterans
      • Women
      • View All People & Culture

  • Overview
  • Distribution
  • Paid Placement
  • Multimedia
  • Disclosure Services
  • SocialBoost
  • Rooms
    • MediaRoom
    • ESG Rooms
  • AI Tools
  • General Enquiries
  • Media Enquiries
  • Partnerships
  • Hamburger menu
  • Cision PR Newswire UK provides press release distribution, targeting, monitoring, and marketing services
  • Send a Release
    • Phone

    • +44 (0)20 7454 5110 from 8 AM - 5:30 PM GMT

    • ALL CONTACT INFO
    • Contact Us

      +44 (0)20 7454 5110
      from 8 AM - 5:30 PM GMT

  • Client Login
  • Send a Release
  • Resources
  • Blog
  • Journalists
  • News in Focus
    • Browse News Releases
    • Regulatory News
  • Business & Money
    • Auto & Transportation
    • Business Technology
    • Entertain­ment & Media
    • Financial Services & Investing
    • General Business
  • Science & Tech
    • Consumer Technology
    • Energy & Natural Resources
    • Environ­ment
    • Heavy Industry & Manufacturing
    • Telecomm­unications
  • Lifestyle & Health
    • Consumer Products & Retail
    • Entertain­ment & Media
    • Health
    • Sports
    • Travel
  • Policy & Public Interest
    • Policy & Public Interest
  • People & Culture
    • People & Culture
  • Client Login
  • Send a Release
  • Resources
  • Blog
  • Journalists
  • Overview
  • Distribution
  • Paid Placement
  • Multimedia
  • Disclosure Services
  • Cision Communications Cloud®
  • AI Tools
  • Client Login
  • Send a Release
  • Resources
  • Blog
  • Journalists
  • General Enquiries
  • Media Enquiries
  • Partnerships
  • Client Login
  • Send a Release
  • Resources
  • Blog
  • Journalists

Seagrass Mapping Takes Root in the Western Indian Ocean

This image opens in the lightbox

News provided by

Western Indian Ocean Marine Science Association (WIOMSA)

03 Mar, 2025, 06:00 GMT

Share this article

Share toX

Share this article

Share toX

Groundbreaking initiative will enhance conservation efforts and climate action 

ZANZIBAR CITY, Tanzania, March 3, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Western Indian Ocean Marine Science Association (WIOMSA), in collaboration with The Pew Charitable Trusts and the University of Southampton, has announced the launch of the Large-Scale Seagrass Mapping and Management Initiative (LaSMMI). This ambitious research endeavor will develop the first field-verified seagrass map across Kenya, Tanzania (including Zanzibar), Mozambique, and Madagascar. 

Continue Reading
This image opens in the lightbox
A hawksbill sea turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata), a critically endangered sea turtle, photographed amongst thalasadendron seagrass, Amirantes Bank, Seychelles, Western Indian Ocean.

Seagrass meadows are critical coastal habitats that support biodiversity, and play a significant role in carbon sequestration. Despite their importance, seagrasses remain among the least studied and most threatened marine ecosystems. The LaSMMI project will leverage satellite imagery analysis and field verification techniques to produce highly accurate maps of these vital habitats. Seagrass will be mapped in shallow water environments found along a combined coastline of more than 9,500 km (6000 mi), and spread across more than 2 million sq km (800,000 sq miles) of sea area. 

"Seagrasses are the unsung heroes of our oceans—vital for marine life, coastal communities, and the fight against climate change", said Dr. Arthur Tuda, Executive Director of WIOMSA. "Yet, they remain among the least understood and least protected ecosystems. Through the LaSMMI project, we are unlocking the power of science and collaboration to bring seagrasses into the spotlight, ensuring they are mapped, valued, and safeguarded. By bridging global data with local action, we are shaping a future where seagrasses are not just seen, but actively protected as a cornerstone of ocean health and resilience."

LaSMMI delivers more than just mapping —it is a comprehensive effort to enhance seagrass research and policy integration, with multiple key objectives:

  • Creating a standardized, field-verified seagrass map by the end of 2026.
  • Assessing carbon stock values across the region to support climate strategies.
  • Strengthening local research capacity through training and workshops on data collection, analysis, and field verification.
  • Raising national and regional awareness about seagrass conservation and its role in climate mitigation.
  • Strengthening policy linkages by incorporating seagrass data into Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement, marine spatial planning, and management and sustainability frameworks.

"LaSMMI represents a crucial step toward ensuring the Western Indian Ocean's coastal ecosystems are recognized, protected, and integrated into global climate strategies," said project lead Dr. Gwilym Rowlands, Associate Professor for marine conservation and management at the University of Southampton. "By bridging the gap between science and policy, this initiative will drive meaningful conservation actions that benefit both marine biodiversity and coastal communities."

LaSMMI is built on a strong foundation of partnerships, bringing together top-tier research institutions in the region, including the Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute, the University of Dar es Salaam and the State University of Zanzibar (Tanzania), Eduardo Mondlane University (Mozambique), and the University of Toliara – Institute of Fisheries and Marine Sciences (Madagascar).

"Seagrass meadows, often overlooked and underprotected, are vital to our planet," said Dr. Stacy Baez, a senior officer with Pew's advancing coastal wetlands conservation campaign. "LaSMMI is on a mission to map these underwater ecosystems in the Western Indian Ocean and estimate the carbon they store, fueling seagrass conservation efforts for the benefit of nature, people, and climate."

LaSMMI follows on the success of the Seychelles Seagrass Mapping and Carbon Assessment project that developed the first field verified seagrass map and carbon stock assessment for the country. This highly collaborative project helped to inform Seychelles' commitment to protect all seagrass meadows in their 2021 NDC. LaSMMI will employ the same scientific methods, including the use of available satellite data combined with on-the-ground information to create seagrass maps. These maps will provide essential data for governments, conservationists, and marine spatial planners to better protect and manage seagrass meadows across the Western Indian Ocean.

For more information about the LaSMMI project, click here 

For images and videos, click here

Country leads quotes:

Dr. Jacqueline Uku, Principal Research Scientist at the Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute (KMFRI)  

"I started out my career in the late 1990's as a seagrass scientist with the big vision of putting little known seagrasses on the Kenyan map. The LaSMMI project is a long-awaited initiative for us in Kenya and it will fulfil my vision for this critical ecosystem.  I am awed by all the opportunities that this project presents in raising the next generation of seagrass scientists."

Dr. Blandina Lugendo, Marine Scientist and Dean of the School of Aquatic Sciences and Fisheries Technology at the University of Dar es Salaam,Tanzania  

"Seagrass meadows are among the most valuable shallow coastal ecosystems, nonetheless, they are not well understood, and hence not fully appreciated or effectively conserved. The LaSMMI Project presents an opportunity to map seagrasses in the Western Indian Ocean region in order to better understand them and enhance their conservation, since it is difficult to protect what we don't know." 

Dr. Ali Ussi, Senior Lecturer at the Department of Natural Sciences, State University of Zanzibar  

"The LaSMMI project exemplifies the State University of Zanzibar's unwavering commitment to sustainable marine resource management, highlighting our dedication to seagrass conservation through strategic international collaborations and informed local expertise. This initiative is fundamental in enhancing biodiversity and serves as a critical component in the climate change mitigation strategy for the Western Indian Ocean region." 

Prof. Salomão Bandeira (PhD), Associate Professor at Eduardo Mondlane University in Mozambique 

LaSMMI highlights seagrass as a carbon superpower, enabling climate adaptation, coastal protection, and supporting fisheries, all through collaborative efforts that empower community resilience in the Western Indian Ocean region." 

Dr. Nirinarisoa Lantoasinoro Ranivoarivelo, senior lecturer at the Institute of Fisheries and Marines Sciences at the University of Toliara, Madagascar. 

"The LaSMMI project underscores the importance of seagrass conservation, highlighting their role in supporting marine life, storing carbon, and protecting coastlines. This global initiative demonstrates a collective effort to preserve biodiversity and promote sustainable ocean stewardship." 

Media Contact: 

Barb Cvrkel

Damboia Cossa

The Pew Charitable Trusts                   

WIOMSA            

bcvrkel@pewtrusts.org 

media@lasmmi.org

+1 2025105670


WhatsApp: +12025105670


Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2631072/WIOMSA_hawksbill_sea_turtle.jpg

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2631079/WIOMSA_Logo.jpg

Modal title

Contact PR Newswire

  • +44 (0)20 7454 5110
    from 8 AM - 5:30 PM GMT
  • General Enquiries
  • Media Enquiries
  • Partnerships

Products

  • Content Distribution
  • Multimedia Services
  • Disclosure Services
  • Cision Communications Cloud®

About

  • About PR Newswire
  • About Cision
  • Partnering Opportunities
  • Careers
  • APAC
  • APAC - Simplified Chinese
  • APAC - Traditional Chinese
  • Brazil
  • Canada
  • Czech
  • Denmark
  • Finland
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Indonesia
  • Israel
  • Japan
  • Korea
  • Mexico
  • Middle East
  • Middle East - Arabic
  • Netherlands
  • Norway
  • Poland
  • Portugal
  • Russia
  • Slovakia
  • Spain
  • Sweden
  • United States
  • Vietnam

My Services

  • All News Releases
  • Customer Portal
  • Resources
  • Blog
  • Journalists
  • Data Privacy

Do not sell or share my personal information:

  • Submit via Privacy@cision.com 
  • Call Privacy toll-free: 877-297-8921

Contact PR Newswire

Products

About

My Services
  • All News Releases
  • Customer Portal
  • Resources
  • Blog
  • Journalists
+44 (0)20 7454 5110
from 8 AM - 5:30 PM GMT
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy
  • Information Security Policy
  • Site Map
  • RSS
  • Cookie Settings
Copyright © 2025 PR Newswire Europe Limited. All Rights Reserved. A Cision company.