The seagrass meadows that feed, shelter and clean the shallow Maltese sea.
Posidonia is a flowering plant, not a seaweed, found only in the Mediterranean. Its meadows grow in sand from just below the surface to about 40 metres, give young fish a nursery, make oxygen, and hold the seabed in place. The loose leaves washed ashore each autumn protect beaches from erosion.
A meadow grows only a few centimetres a year, so damage can take centuries to mend.
Threats
Anchors and chains tearing up the meadows, fish farms, sewage and coastal building.
How to help
Anchor on sand, not on the dark patches of seagrass. Leave washed-up leaves on the beach, and report dredging or dumping.
Photo: Frédéric Ducarme, CC BY-SA 4.0.
