Seagrass restoration in Australia

This paper will briefly examine the current status of seagrass restoration in Australia and, after some definitions have been dispensed with, describe where most of the efforts have been located and their relative ‘success’. Attention is placed more upon the lessons regarding transplant failure we have learned from past studies, as opposed to an in-depth study of each project. In addition, factors contributing to variable success rates with different techniques (seedlings, sprigs and cores) will be highlighted using examples from Western Australia – where many transplant efforts have been located. Examples will then be given of the most recent rehabilitation studies in Western Australia, focusing on mechanical transplanter development, refinement and operation. Concluding comments are then made regarding suggestions to maximise success in future transplantation programmes along with a basic list of requirements.