IOC Sub-Commission for the Western Pacific (WESTPAC)
Advancing knowledge and cooperation for a healthy ocean and prosperous society
Advancing knowledge and cooperation for a healthy ocean and prosperous society
Seagrass ecosystems are of vital ecological, social and economic significance in the Western Pacific. Seagrass ecosystems in Southeast Asia are experiencing rapid degradation due to increasing anthropogenic pressures, including overfishing, pollution, coastal development, and the impacts of climate change. In recent years, several documented or suspected large-scale seagrass die-offs in the region have underscored a critical challenge: the lack of comprehensive knowledge and data on seagrass continues to hinder the ability of scientists and policymakers to formulate and implement effective conservation and management strategies.
A one-day field visit to a seagrass restoration site will be organized to provide practical insights that complement the workshop discussions.
Workshop Objectives
The workshop aims to:
Qualified Participants
The kickoff workshop will convoke seagrass experts, researchers, and managers from Member States in the Western Pacific. Ideally, they should have rich experience in seagrass research and conservation, and the capacity to lead and carry out seagrass research and conservation in their respective countries. Community organizations and NGOs in Thailand will also be invited to join the field trip to share their perspectives and contributions to local restoration efforts.
Registration
Individuals who are nominated or self-nominated and are committed to contributing to the collective effort and shared goals are encouraged to complete the online registration form as early as possible, preferably before 16 August 2025.
If you are unable to access the online form, please complete the offline registration form (Annex 1) and email it to iocwestpac@unesco.org with the subject line: Registration Form – Seagrass Collaboration Kickoff Workshop
Please note that funding for international travel is limited and will be prioritized for participants from developing countries. Selection will be based primarily on the applicant’s CV, his/her work experience, and previous engagement with WESTPAC or other related international programmes.
Updated information about the workshop will be made available in due course at this event page.
Important Links
| Day 1, Tuesday 4 November 2025 | ||
| 0830-0900 | Onsite registration | In front of the meeting room-Bon-Maithon, 2nd floor, Royal Phuket City Hotel |
| 0900-0930 | Session 1. Setting the context | |
| Welcome remarks | Wenxi Zhu, Head, UN Ocean Decade Coordination Office for the region & IOC Sub-Commission for the Western Pacific, IOC/UNESCO | |
| Opening remarks | Sumana Kajonwattanakul, Director, Marine and Coastal Resources Research and Development Institute, Department of Marine and Coastal Resources, Thailand | |
| Workshop orientation | Wenxi Zhu, IOC/UNESCO | |
| Self-introduction | Each participant will take less than 20 seconds | |
| 0930-1030 | Session 2. Keynotes | |
What do we need to know to protect and restore seagrass meadows? —- Mat Vanderklift, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) Nearshore Benthic Habitat Mapping and Assessment Techniques —- Chan Leo Lai, City University of Hong Kong | ||
| 1030-1100 | Group Photo & Coffee Break | |
1100-1230
| Session 3. Seagrass research, conservation, and restoration in the region
This session will highlight seagrass research, conservation, and restoration in the Western Pacific, along with key challenges and opportunities.
One to three presentations, 15 minutes each, are expected from each country, aiming to share the current status of seagrass ecosystem, and associated research and monitoring, assessement, resotration, and management efforts. In addtion, presentations are also encouraged to include actionable suggestions for future cooperation.
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Thailand The Status of Seagrass in Thailand 2025: Challenges, Responses, and Opportunities —-Tipamat Upanoi, Phuket Marine Biological Center, Department of Marine and Coastal Resources
Seagrass survey and monitoring through satellite and UAV technologies in Thailand —-Wirote Laongmanee, Faculty of Marine Technology, Burapha University Chanthaburi Campus
Blue carbon in Thai seagrass meadows —- Piyalap Tuntiprapas, Prince of Songkla University
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| 1230-1330 | Lunch break | |
| 1330-1500 | Indonesia Current status of seagrass research and management in Indonesia —- Fery Kurniawan, IPB University
A framework for assessing seagrass ecosystem health —- Udhi Eko Hernawan, Research Centre for Biota System, BRIN | |
Malaysia Seagrass in Malaysia: Status, Research and Management, Challenges and Way Forward —-Nabila Sharif, Fisheries Research Institute Rantau Abang, Department of Fisheries Malaysia
Urban Marine Sanctuary: Example of Middle Bank Seagrass Meadow in Penang and Efforts for Restoration —- Sau Pinn Woo, Centre for Marine and Coastal Studies (CEMACS), Universiti Sains Malaysia
Seagrass Nursery in Terengganu, Malaysia —- Nabila Sharif, Fisheries Research Institute Rantau Abang, Department of Fisheries Malaysia
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| 1500-1530 | Coffee Break | |
| 1530-1700 | Philippines Philippine’s Ongoing Blue Carbon Initiatives: Seagrass Mapping and National Blue Carbon Action Partnership —-Jerickson Baguinon, Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) – Biodiversity Management Bureau (BMB)
Toward Shared Measures: The Philippine Seagrass R and D Agenda and Regional Collaboration —- Sitti Zayda Halun, Mindanao State University Tawi-Tawi College of Technology and Oceanography
The Peril of Misguided Conservation: Seagrass community structure and ichthyofauna assemblages in seagrass beds with and without Rhizophora spp. plantation in Burdeos, Quezon, Philippines —-Jose Isidro Michael T. Padin, Ecosystems Research and Development Bureau (ERDB), Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)
Singapore Ensuring seagrass persistence in the urbanised marine landscape of Singapore —- Yan Xiang Ow, National University of Singapore
Viet Nam Seagrass in Vietnam: Status, Research and Management, Challenges and Way Forward —-Nguyễn Xuân Vỵ, Institute of Oceanography
Myanmar Seagrass in Myanmar: Status, Research and Management, Challenges and Way Forward —-Cherry Aung, Marine Science Department, Myeik University
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