Article
3 April 2025
A pioneering restoration project is currently underway at the Cocos (Keeling) Islands (CKI), aiming to revive the region's vital seagrass meadows. The project team has been working hard to install seagrass protection barriers in the CKI Marine Park. These barriers aim to relieve seagrass from the grazing pressures of the local turtle population and allow seagrasses to recover.
Early results from this trial are promising. After three months, protected seagrass area in the first of four barriers to be installed had already reached 20% coverage and 8cm in height, compared to just 2% coverage and 3cm height outside these areas. These results suggest a positive future trajectory for both the seagrass ecosystems and the marine life they support is possible.
Professor Michael Rasheed, the project’s lead researcher from James Cook University, said: “This is an exciting development in marine conservation, demonstrating clear recovery potential when habitats receive targeted protection. Seagrass restoration using this approach has never been attempted at this scale before, but immediate action was required, and we are relieved it seems to be working.”
Seagrass meadows hold significant importance for the Cocos community and are crucial habitats for marine species, including the iconic green sea turtle. However, from 2006 to 2018, these vital ecosystems suffered an alarming 80% loss. This was caused by a range of factors including weather conditions and development around the island which was further exacerbated by increased grazing pressure from green turtles. In recent years, surveys indicated the while seagrass remained present it covered merely 1% of the seafloor where it remained, with concerns it may face imminent ecological collapse without intervention.
In response, a collaborative intervention was launched last year, funded by the NESP Marine Coastal Hub and involving CKI community members, researchers from James Cook University, Parks Australia, Cocos Marine Care, and Sea Country Solutions. Pilot studies by the team of the previous 2 years found that it was continued grazing pressure from CKI’s large population of green sea turtles that was now the major impediment for seagrass recovery. In a world first the team have installed 20 x 20 metre eco-barriers to create larger seagrass refuges. Barriers are now in place at West Island and Home Island, creating safe havens for seagrass recovery. These protected areas not only encourage immediate growth of seagrass within the barrier but also supply seeds and seedlings essential for broader restoration efforts across CKI. The project team will install more barriers over the upcoming year.
These encouraging early outcomes offer a beacon of hope for the CKI’s seagrasses and iconic marine fauna. They highlight how collaborative conservation can effectively reverse ecological damage, showcasing the resilience of marine habitats when provided targeted support and protection.
Prof Michael Rasheed (JCU) and Mr Osman Macrae (Cocos Marine Care) inspecting early seagrass restoration trials in Cocos Keeling Islands Mike Rasheed JCU. Image: tropWATER.
Seagrass count in 1m2 quadrat frame. Image: TropWATER.
Targeted protection shows clear habitat recovery potential. Image: TropWATER.
