Call for Action: Integrating Seaweeds into Global Biodiversity Frameworks

Written by Shaun Beattie, Kathrine Dubla, Juliet Brodie, Nidhi Nagabhatla, Sophie Corrigan, Phaik-Eem Lim, Sze-Wan Poong, Cicilia S. B. Kambey and Elizabeth J. Cottier-Cook
 

Seaweed ecosystems have high ecological and socio-economic value but are continually overlooked in global biodiversity and conservation frameworks.

The poor integration of seaweeds arises from four key obstacles: weak institutional cooperation, inconsistent use of seaweed terminologies, limited explicit mention of seaweeds within biodiversity targets, and a reliance on non-binding agreements that cannot be enforced.

Integrating seaweed habitats into biodiversity frameworks can strengthen marine resilience, livelihoods, food security, and delivery of SDGs 1, 2, and 14.

Dedicated investment is needed to support seaweed habitat protection, monitoring, restoration, and genuine implementation of conservation commitments.

Recommendations to resolve these gaps focus on improving institutional coordination, establishing a unified seaweed terminology, generating explicit seaweed-focused biodiversity targets, expanding existing Marine Protected Areas to include seaweeds, and incorporating enforcement mechanisms into conservation agreements to compel target delivery.