'A hidden treasure': Scientists rally to protect the Gulf's overlooked seagrass meadows

It feeds dugongs, shelters fish, and captures carbon faster than rainforests - so why is seagrass still overlooked? Experts gather in Abu Dhabi to change that

Seagrass meadows are important habitats for many crustaceans.

Vital to dugongs, sea turtles, fish nurseries and carbon storage, seagrass meadows are among the ocean's most critical – and at the same time most overlooked – ecosystems. Yet, they are disappearing at alarming rates around the world.

Scientists from across the region gathered in Abu Dhabi for the first Arabian Seagrass Workshop last week, aiming to change that narrative.

Held at the Yas Seaworld Research and Rescue Centre, the event marks a major step forward in spotlighting the Gulf's underwater grasslands, and accelerating efforts to conserve and restore them.

"Seagrass is a building block," Rob Yordi, zoological vice president and general curator at SeaWorld Abu Dhabi, told The National. "It's the food source and shelter for so many organisms -small fish, invertebrates, sea turtles, and of course – dugongs."

The UAE is home to the worlds second largest population of dugong, with 3,000 living off the country's shores.

A single dugong, Mr Yordi explained, can consume up to 40 kilograms of seagrass in a day. "So you need vast, healthy meadows. But, what we've seen over decades is decline. We are trying to figure out why – and how to reverse it."

The centre is conducting field research off the Abu Dhabi coast and running lab-based trials to better understand how to propagate, replant, and restore degraded seagrass beds.

Speaking at the event in Abu Dhabi, Dr Emma Jackson, president of the World Seagrass Association said "seagrass meadows continue to be lost and degraded at a global scale." She highlights that about a third of mapped European seagrass meadows for example have already been lost.

UAE home to 80% of Gulf's seagrass meadows

According to the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD), the mapped extent of the emirate’s seagrass area is well over 3,000 square kilometres – with the main concentrations found around Marawah Marine Biosphere Reserve and Al Yasat Marine Protected Area.

This represents 80 per cent of all seagrass habitat in the Arabian Gulf.

"These meadows support the second-largest dugong population in the world, after Australia," Noura Al Mansoori, marine biodiversity specialist at EAD, told The National. "And, most people don't even realise they exist. Seagrasses are underwater, and they're often mistaken for seaweed, but they're completely different. These are flowering plants with roots and rhizomes, adapted to a marine environment."

Al Mansoori said the Gulf's extreme summer conditions, where water temperatures can exceed 35°C, presents unique survival challenges. "That's above tolerance for many species around the world. But our seagrasses hang on. They're resilient, but they need help."

EAD is deploying AI technology to map historic trends and identify priority restoration zones, building on decades of monitoring and conservation work.

According to research, the dugong is now functionally extinct in China

Restoring habitat to rescue wildlife

One of the key goals of the Abu Dhabi summit was to lay the foundations to create a regional framework for research and action. Delegates presented national data and participated in gap analyses and planning sessions focused on data from around the region.

Dr Elise Marquis, director of the Yas Seaworld Research and Rescue Centre confirmed that a technical report – "the first of its kind for the region"- will be produced following the session to guide future collaboration.

Looking ahead, the region's seagrass science community is preparing for a bigger stage, Abu Dhabi will host the 16th International seagrass Biology Workshop in 2026, bringing together the world's top experts.

"The momentum is here," said Dr Marquis. "We've undervalued these meadows for too long. It's time we gave them the recognition and protection they deserve."