On 2 April 2026, the Coastal Fisheries Division conducted its first quantitative seagrass survey in the Nanikaai Marine Protected Area under the technical supervision of Dr. Satoshi Ohasi of OFCF. Five teams, comprising Coastal Fisheries Division staff and Nanikaai community representatives, collected 34 seagrass samples using random-quadrat sampling techniques. The samples were cleaned, sorted, and weighed to determine biomass and improve understanding of the carbon storage potential of the seagrass habitat.

This work supports ongoing efforts to quantify Thalassia hemprichii biomass and assess the blue carbon value of the area. The findings will help guide science-based management of the Nanikaai Marine Protected Area by strengthening knowledge of seagrass carbon storage and informing future conservation and monitoring efforts.