Sustainable Coastal Ecosystems for Achieving the (Blue) Sustainability Agenda

Note our recent Policy Brief ' Balancing Wild Seaweed Conservation with the Future of Seaweeds Industry'

Aquaculture involves farming aquatic organisms, including fish, mollusks, crustaceans, and aquatic plants. It requires interventions like stocking, feeding, and protection to enhance production. Ownership of the cultivated stock is a key aspect. Seaweed, a diverse group of marine plants and algae, thrives in the ocean and holds immense potential for various industries.

Seaweeds, often overlooked but crucial components of #coastal ecosystems, are facing significant #challenges due to increasing demand from wild harvesting and cultivation industries. With their vital role in supporting marine species and providing essential #ecosystemservices, it is essential to address the challenges they face for long-term sustainability. In our #policy brief, we reflect on the direct and indirect drivers impacting seaweed stocks and emphasize the importance of #conservation efforts to safeguard these valuable resources, discussing the strategies within the context of the #OceanDecade and #blue economy agenda as well as related #sdgs2030 and UN Decade on Ecological Restoration #generationrestoration

Context

On one side, seaweed populations worldwide are declining due to various factors. Over-harvesting, driven by increased demand, severely strains wild stocks, depleting their numbers and disrupting coastal ecosystems. Climate change impacts, including rising sea temperatures and ocean acidification, pose significant challenges to seaweed survival and productivity. Additionally, invasive species and pests outcompete native seaweeds, altering ecological dynamics. On the other, the seaweed industry has experienced a remarkable surge, accounting for over 50% of global marine production valued in billions in 2019. Seaweeds find applications in various sectors, such as food, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and biofuels, making them economically significant. However, this growing demand places immense pressure on seaweed populations, particularly in regions heavily reliant on wild harvesting. Current protection measures for wild seaweed stocks are insufficient despite their critical role in marine ecosystems. Strengthening conservation policies and regulations is necessary to ensure sustainable harvesting practices and prevent further depletion of seaweed populations.

Raising awareness among stakeholders about the ecological importance of seaweeds and the need for conservation is crucial. The project team's effort into this need for the past 8 years has steered constructive discourse towards the promotion of sustainable practices for seaweed-dependent communities ( subsistence level ) and the seaweeds industry stakeholders -https://cris.unu.edu/press-release-global-seaweed-industry-must-innovate-and-adapt-or-risk-its-long-term-survival.

How to address multifaceted and interconnected challenges

We recommend that comprehensive restoration strategies are vital to safeguard wild seaweed stocks. These strategies should align SDGs and other global governance frameworks aiming for sustainable ocean futures, focusing on biodiversity preservation, sustainable resource management, and climate action and strategies for 'wise use'. Collaboration among scientists, policymakers, coastal communities, and seaweed farmers is essential for effective conservation efforts. We emphasize that capacity-building initiatives can empower local communities and farmers to become key protectors of wild stocks.

Preserving the health and productivity of seaweed stocks is imperative for maintaining the balance and resilience of coastal ecosystems. As the demand for seaweeds continues to rise, addressing challenges such as over-harvesting, climate change, invasive species, and inadequate protection measures is crucial. By implementing robust conservation policies, raising stakeholder awareness, and engaging coastal communities and seaweed farmers, and local and regional stakeholders involved with wild stock collected and the seaweed industry value chain ( https://cris.unu.edu/launch-gsstarmalaysia-policybrief) we can ensure the sustainability of these valuable marine resources for generations to come.

The message in the recent policy brief is a ‘collective call for action’ to restore and sustain the benefits that seaweeds bring to our coastal environments and communities.https://cris.unu.edu/unu-cris-publications?type=policy_brief

Seaweed cultivation/aquaculture could allow farmers to cultivate seaweed, ensuring sustainable growth and productivity while promoting environmental conservation, if sustainable guidelines are followed. By embracing sustainability principles the seaweed industry can meet demands, preserve marine ecosystems, and #unlockpotential of our oceans for the benefit of communities.

#blueeconomy #sdg14 #sustainabledevelopment #collaboration #climatechange

Collaboration of United Nations University and Scottish Association For Marine Science and #regional partners for #research and #sciencecommunication representing the mandate of #sdg17 : partnership for transformative change ( science-policy interfacing) #sdgs2030 #oceandecade

*All Policy Briefs are available for free download:

Other policy briefs and some articles related to this topic/project