Sscientists are turning the tide on vital underwater meadows threatened by Britain’s poor water quality. Project Seagrass is spearheading the UK’s largest restoration initiative for the habitat in Dale, in Pembrokeshire, Wales.
Seagrasses provide food and shelter for thousands of species but they have been declining globally since the 1930s. In the last century, 92% of the plants have been lost from Britain’s coasts and areas once covered by seagrass are now lifeless seabeds. Dr Richard Unsworth, of Project Seagrass and Swansea University, said: “Water quality is the biggest threat to it now. Historically, it was land development.
“The key thing is that seagrass is really important for animal life, particularly its role in supporting fisheries. The fish you might see in a fish and chips shop – cod, plaice, whiting – all of those fish and chip favourites spend their young years in a seagrass meadow. If a young grows in a seagrass nursery, it’s much more likely to get to adulthood and spawn.”
Nitrogen is a crucial nutrient that helps plants and crops grow but high concentrations are harmful to people and nature.
But excess nitrates and phosphorus spur algal growth, deplete oxygen and kill fish.
Dr Unsworth said: “You can’t rebuild the ocean very quickly. It takes a lot to get to that point but what we’re actually seeing in Dale now is a seagrass meadow that’s recovering. Seagrass is popping up all over the bay. We’ve got life in that seagrass. We’re showcasing how we can bring life back to our oceans.”
“50% of the estuaries in the UK no longer have seagrass in them and they would have likely had seagrass in them. We need to bring back seagrass to every estuary where it used to be so it can once again spread but if it’s not there, it can’t spread.”
Project seagrass collected over a million seagrass seeds which were planted in Dale days before the first Covid-19 lockdown.
There has been huge support among the local fishing community but there was a minor setback a few years ago when a “rogue” fisherman dragged his nets across the seafloor in anger at a local government agency, Dr Unsworth said.
He added: “It knocked us back but it didn’t kill the project”
The associate professor warned the Government needs to do more to support bringing life back to oceans.
He said: “I think central Government in Westminster isn’t really taking the urgency to restore our ocean seriously enough and I think it’s really important to think about.”
Just 8% of the land and sea in England is protected for nature. The government has a target to reach 30% by 2030,
Environment Secretary Steve Reed has made cleaning Britain’s rivers a top priority since entering government in July.
The Water (Special Measures) Act 2025 received Royal Assent earlier this month, boosting the powers of water sector regulators to tackle pollution.
The Act delivers on the manifesto pledges to clean up the water sector, including increasing the ability of the Environment Agency to bring forward criminal charges against water executives who break the law.
Mr Reed said: “This is just the beginning. The Independent Water Commission will report back later this year to shape new laws that will transform our water system so we can clean up our rivers, lakes, and seas for good.”
