Seagrass for Snapper is a national program developed by fishing conservation charity OzFish. Beginning in 2018 with the highly successful Seeds for Snapper project in Cockburn Sound WA, the program has grown and spread to six states where 10 different seagrass projects are planned and delivered alongside researchers and community volunteers.
Seagrass for Snapper increases awareness, interest and enthusiasm for Australians to participate in real science through seagrass restoration at scale. The diverse range of free volunteer experiences on offer ensures the program is highly inclusive. Including recreational fishers, divers and boaters in seagrass restoration spreads awareness and promotes environmental stewardship in a part of the community already passionate about the marine environment.
Using restoration techniques developed in collaboration with researchers, the program continues to expand with innovative ways to engage local communities in seagrass restoration such as corporate, school and community partnerships. Volunteers are engaged with the research and data behind the projects at events and kept updated with the statistics they are contributing to via social media and direct contact. With the support of community volunteers Seagrass for Snapper takes great ideas developed through research and increases their ecological impact through habitat restoration at scale.