Hidden harvest: Moroccan lagoon seaweeds and seagrasses offer vast untapped

A new study focusing on Morocco’s Atlantic Oualidia Lagoon argues that native seaweeds and seagrasses are a largely untapped natural asset. Published in Estuarine Management and Technologies, the research says 25% to 30% of ecosystem benefits from key species remain unused. Using scuba-diving surveys from February 2021 across 68 stations, scientists assessed six species, including dominant Gracilaria gracilis and invasive Sargassum muticum. Native species were found to support 81% of evaluated services, while Sargassum muticum undermines about 43%. The invasive alga degrades fish habitat, harms shellfish farming, clogs industrial intakes, and displaces natives.