The Minister for Environment, the Hon Prof John Cortes, last week visited the site of the Nautilus Project’s seagrass nursery at the North Mole.

The site contains seawater tanks with an elaborate circulation and temperature control system, in which cuttings of the seagrass Posidonia oceanica have been set on a sandy substrate. The cuttings were recently procured by Nautilus in Malta, and the facilities have been set up by Nautilus Project volunteers.

The project, which is being funded by Peninsula and supported by a grant from the UK’s Darwin Plus Fund, aims to restore the lost seagrass meadows of Gibraltar. Such meadows are extremely rich in biodiversity, providing an important habitat and serving as nurseries for many species of marine life. The intention is for the grass to grow in the tanks, flower, and set seed, allowing both cuttings and seedlings to be transplanted into Gibraltar’s natural seabed environment.

Lewis Stagnetto, Marine Biologist at the Nautilus Project, said:

“Restoring seagrass in Gibraltar’s waters symbolises hope – a living reminder that with science, community, and perseverance, we can reverse damage and revive the natural balance of our marine environment.”

Minister for Environment, Prof John Cortes, said:

“This is a really exciting project with tremendously positive possibilities in relation to our marine biodiversity and the absorption of carbon dioxide in our waters. Nautilus and their sponsors are to be congratulated and will continue to have the full support of my Ministry and of the Department of the Environment and Climate Change.”

ENDS