Seaweed Specialist team leading global conservation efforts

The group, officially recognized by the IUCN in 2023, is dedicated to increasing the profile of seaweeds and assessing their conservation status to drive urgent protection measures.

SeaWeek 2025 runs from March 1-9 and is Australia's major national public awareness campaign to focus community awareness, provide information and encourage an appreciation of the sea.

The specialist team recently hosted its first in-person workshop focused on the IUCN Red List assessment of kelp species, marking the beginning of a comprehensive global effort to classify seaweed species based on their conservation status.

Researchers and experts from Australia, the USA, South Africa, Indonesia, and Spain participated in the workshop, using their expertise to evaluate key kelp species found in Australia and beyond.

'This workshop was the first in-person meeting of the IUCN SSC Seaweed Specialist Group leadership team and several of its members,' said Dr Jacqui Pocklington, research fellow at Deakin University and co-chair of the Seaweed Specialist Group. 'It represents a critical step in our efforts to understand and protect seaweed species worldwide.'

The workshop focused on applying Red List assessment training to several kelp species, including Golden Kelp (Ecklonia radiata), which is found across Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa. The team also examined Tasmania’s endemic Lessonia corrugata, which was prioritized due to strong local data availability.

'This is the first time seaweed species found in Australian waters are being assessed for the global IUCN Red List,' said Dr. Pocklington. 'Seaweeds are essential species, providing numerous ecosystem services and benefits; though we don’t know the current conservation status of most of them.'

The team also worked on high-level assessments of Giant Kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera) and other species with limited population data. With support from IUCN Red List trainers, participants gained valuable experience in assessment methodologies, which they will now apply to species in their respective regions.

'This workshop was the beginning of IUCN Global Red List Assessment of Seaweed Species undertaken by the IUCN SSC Seaweed Specialist Group,' said Dr. Pocklington. 'We've already shared our learnings with members in Spain and will continue working with global experts to expand assessments to more species.'

The workshop participants included:

• Dr Jacqui Pocklington (Australia) – Research fellow at Deakin University, working on marine forest restoration and marine conservation, co-chair of the Seaweed Specialist Group.
• Dr Nur Arafeh-Dalmau (Spain/USA) – Postdoctoral researcher studying heatwave impacts on kelp forests, co-chair of the Seaweed Specialist Group.
• Mr Loyiso Dunga (South Africa) – Director of Marine Systems at Parley for the Oceans, dedicated to kelp forest conservation, and Red List Coordinator for the Seaweed Specialist Group.
• Dr Cayne Layton (Australia) – Director of Blue Conservation Services and adjunct researcher at the University of Tasmania, Seaweed Specialist Group Regional Red List Coordinator for Oceania.
• Dr Erlania (Indonesia) – Senior researcher at the Research Centre for Oceanography, focused on seaweed roles in carbon sequestration and climate change, Regional Red List Coordinator for Asia.
• Ms Olivia Johnson (Australia) – PhD candidate at the University of Tasmania, researching conservation strategies for threatened reef species, including seaweeds.
  
  
  Photo L-R: Ms Olivia Johnson, Mr Loyiso Dunga, Dr Jacqui Pocklington, Dr Cayne Layton, Dr Nur Arafeh-Dalmau, Dr Erlania.