The Marine Science team at UHI Shetland were recently successful in securing funding from the Scottish Marine Environmental Enhancement Fund (SMEEF) to run a two-year project investigating Shetland’s seagrass beds.

In Shetland, the only known eelgrass beds are now found in Whiteness Voe. Historic records from the Vadills and around the Burra isles of eelgrass beds are now thought to be lost, but we don’t know why they disappeared. We are hoping to identify the condition of the remaining beds to prevent further loss.

Eelgrass (Zostera marina) is a type of seagrass found in the subtidal and can form extensive beds, which provide a variety of ecological services including stabilising sediments, improving water quality, and acting as nursery habitat for fish, including commercial species. Eelgrass beds are also being championed for their ability to store carbon and act as blue carbon habitats. In much of the UK and Europe, eelgrass beds have declined massively over the last century and there is now interest in restoring these important habitats.

At UHI Shetland we are aiming to collect records of seagrass beds and map the current extent of the known beds around Shetland. We will be using drones to collect aerial
photos and survey historic records of sites. We also want to work with local swimmers and snorkellers to map the size of existing seagrass beds.

How you can help

We are looking for everyone to help keep an eye out for seagrass around Shetland! If you know of any records or history of where seagrass used to be found let us know.

On the shore…

While out on Shetland’s beaches if you see any seagrass washed up let us know!

…or in the sea!

If you are out swimming or snorkelling you could also help spot seagrass! Snorkellers can also get involved in mapping seagrass beds – get in touch or look at the Great Seagrass Survey developed by BSAC or Seawilding to learn more.

Learn more about seagrass

To learn more about the different types of seagrass found in Shetland, click on the post below:

Shetland’s Marine Meadows

Under our shallow seas are hidden meadows of grass, these seagrasses play important ecological roles in marine ecosystems. But more recently, these unassuming plants of the sea have been noticed by scientists and governments as a natural solution in the fight to mitigate climate change. What is Seagrass? Seagrasses are a type of flowering plant…

Thanks to all our volunteers and SMEEF for funding the project!

This project is funded by the Scottish Marine Environmental Enhancement Fund. The Scottish Marine Environmental Enhancement Fund is an initiative supported by the Scottish Government’s Marine Scotland Directorate, NatureScot and Crown Estate Scotland.