Seagrass Is Disappearing Fast, But Resorts Are Fighting To Bring It Back

LifestyleTravelSeagrass Is Disappearing Fast, But Resorts Are Fighting To Bring It BackByEmese Maczko,Contributor.Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. Emese Maczko is a travel writer covering sustainable travel.Follow AuthorMay 18, 2026, 08:00am EDTSea grass underwatergettyBottom trawling is one of the ocean’s most destructive but least visible practices: heavy fishing gear dragged across the seabed, damaging the habitats most people never see. Then, last year, Ocean with David Attenborough showed audiences what that destruction looks like underwater."We’ve campaigned for years on bottom trawling, but we’ve never had the visual assets that Ocean has given us. This is the first time the world can see the unseen, and why it matters to them," said Jo Coumbe of Blue Marine Foundation, quoted in the Impact Report published by Silverback Films.And visibility matters. These underwater meadows store carbon, support marine life and protect coastlines, yet they are disappearing fast. Tourism cannot solve the crisis alone, but in places where resorts fund monitoring, restoration and local protection, it can provide a small but crucial line of defense.Seagrass Is Disappearing At An Alarming Rate"Globally, we’re losing seagrass at alarming rates, around 7% every year," said Renald Yude, marine biologist at Gili Lankanfushi Maldives, in an email interview.MORE FOR YOUOne would think that Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) are places where the seabed is undisturbed. However, Oceana’s 2025 report argues that it is often not the case.Seagrass at low tide on Little Fistral Beach, Newquay in Cornwall, UK. gettyIn the United Kingdom, which Oceana’s report says has the fourth-highest seabed carbon damage in the world after China, Russia and Italy, 90% of marine protected areas remain open to bottom trawling in all or part of the site. The report also notes that up to 92% of the country's historical seagrass has been lost. if (!window....