Seagrass is vital to the low-lying island nation of the Maldives; it prevents beach erosion, fights climate change by absorbing carbon dioxide, provides food for sea turtles, supports fisheries and houses juvenile coral reef fish. Despite this, seagrass in the Maldives remains an undervalued habitat and it is considered a nuisance to the tourism industry, rather than an asset. Because of this, many resorts across the country still actively remove the seagrass around their islands.

On 1st March 2019, Blue Marine Foundation and the Maldives Underwater Initiative are launching a social media campaign to raise awareness about the importance and value of seagrass in the Maldives. We are asking resorts across the country to pledge to protect a minimum of 80% of the seagrass around their island for the benefit of the environment, tourism, fisheries and the people who depend on them for jobs and income.