Did you know that there are several seagrass beds in St Kilda Harbour?

Seagrass is different from seaweed. It is a flowering plant and an important part of the marine ecosystem. It provides food and shelter for marine life, stabilises the loose sediment on the seabed and also absorbs carbon dioxide (seagrass beds trap carbon in the sediment and contribute to a slowing of global warming). It is also a species which provides an early warning of change and potential problems in the marine environment.

We conduct regular surveys to establish the extent of the beds, how healthy they are and what animals and plants are currently living beneath the harbour waters – the results are published in our annual report each year.

seagrass location StKilda breakwater
location of the seagrass patch within the northern side of the StKilda breakwater