New Marine Seed Project Aims to Restore Tenerife’s Seagrass
A laboratory in Tenerife is taking steps to revive marine life by cultivating seagrass from seeds gathered on the island. This initiative involves Innoceana and the Cabildo de Tenerife and has received approval from the Ministry for Ecological Transition. The project’s goal is to grow viable seagrass seedlings that will eventually be replanted in the ocean.
The seeds were collected from two carefully chosen donor sites: El Médano Bay and La Jaquita, both known for their abundant natural seed production. This careful selection ensures that the ecosystems remain healthy and can regenerate.
The scientific backing for this project comes from the Marine Plant Physiology and Biotechnology Group at the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, which has decades of experience in marine plant cultivation. Over the next few months, the team will monitor the germination process, aiming to prepare the first seedlings for transplantation in about three months.
Innoceana has been active in researching and protecting Tenerife’s seagrass for the past eight years, focusing on restoration, scientific monitoring, and community education. Their work involves local biologists and conservationists, alongside community involvement from over a hundred volunteers who understand the importance of these ecosystems.
Seagrass meadows are crucial as they provide shelter for various species, stabilise sandy bottoms, purify water, and capture carbon, making them vital in the fight against climate change. Carlos Mallo, CEO of Innoceana, highlights that while restoring these areas is important, it is equally critical to protect the remaining healthy meadows from ongoing threats, such as boat anchoring and urban development.
Despite the ambitious restoration efforts, recent assessments show that over half of Tenerife’s seagrass meadows have been lost in recent decades. Thus, safeguarding existing meadows is essential alongside recovery initiatives.
Mallo relayed a light-hearted note about the future of the underwater environment resting in containers for now, as the project enters a critical phase to determine the viability of the seedlings before they are returned to the sea. If successful, this methodology could be implemented by other islands facing similar challenges.
