Evaluating COnsequences of SEAweed farming on SEAgrass ECOsystems at the turneffe atoll marine reserve (ECOSEA_SEAECO)

Funder: Marine Institute and Department of Foreign Aid (Our Shared Ocean Program)

Project Team: Dr Gerard Summers (PI), Dr Jake Snaddon (Co-PI), MSc Student

The ECOSEA_SEAECO project will aim to develop a synergistic workflow using remote sensing techniques created within its sister project SEAMANS_Carbon and water sampling data to determine the influence of seaweed farming has on seagrass habitats in the Turneffe Atoll Marine Reserve (TAMR) in Belize. Furthermore, high-resolution multispectral unoccupied aerial vehicle (UAV) will be acquired from existing seaweed farms that are surrounded by seagrass habitats in the TAMR. Moreover, water quality data will also be obtained to assess local the chlorophyll content, turbidity and nutrient concentration. Thus, providing an insight to the extent, health, and density of the seagrass habitats surrounding these farms.

Subsequently, the observations from these data will be extrapolated across high-resolution open source satellite imagery to further ascertain how the relationship between these seaweed farms and the surrounding seagrass habitats has evolved over time. Consequently, a set of monitoring and management recommendations for this industry will be provided to local stakeholders. This project intends to build upon key collaborative relationships developed within SEAMANS_Carbon.

The project has 4 main objectives:

1. Create a centralised inventory of seaweed farms present across the TAMR.
2. Quantify the impact of seaweed farms on adjacent seagrass communities by using high spatial resolution multispectral satellite , UAV and in situ data.
3. Determine the influence of farmed non-native seaweed species on adjacent seagrass communities by using high temporal resolution multispectral satellite data.
4. Produce recommendations on sustainable seaweed farm management.