In Florida, healthy aquatic ecosystems are vital to local economies, commercial fishing, and ecotourism. Florida seagrass beds contribute more than $20 billion a year to the state’s economic health by providing habitat for commercially and recreationally important finfish and shellfish, stabilizing the seafloor, and filtering pollution, which keeps the water clear and healthy for marine species and human enjoyment.

Seagrass plays a vital role in offsetting carbon emissions that impact climate change. Seagrass can sequester as much as 50 times the amount of carbon in its soil per hectare as a tropical forest, and for a longer periodof time (hundreds or thousands of years).

One acre of seagrass supports at least 40,000 fish and 50 million small animals.

An adult oyster can filter as much as 50 gallons of water a day.

Seagrasses are in decline, worldwide, by 7% a year. If these estimates are correct then seagrasses are amongst the fastest disappearing habitats on the planet.

Oceans are losing a football field of seagrass every 30 minutes due to overfishing and pollution.