Several studies on seagrass in the BVI occurred in the early 1990’s but a permanent monitoring protocol was established three years ago. Seven permanent sites were selected around the BVI and are monitored twice a year. At each site, densities of each type of grass are recorded along with algal densities and overall health of the seagrass. Areas that have seen a decline in productivity over the past three years include Brandywine Bay due to siltation and Fat Hogs Bay due to run-off and sewage.

The seagrass monitoring programme is replicated every 6 months, in June and in December during low tides. The protocol is designed to be simple enough for one person to complete data collection but ideally, there should be two to three people.

All sites follow the same protocol to ensure consistency of data collection on a biannual basis. Each site consists of six 50-meter transects. (Well Bay has four transects and Fat Hogs Bay-West has five). Transects run perpendicular from the shoreline along a compass bearing for 50 meters and each individual transect is separated by 50 meters from the other transects, making the total monitoring site 12,500 m2.

Samples are examined every 5 meters (sampling stations) along the transect line and include two replicate .5 x .5 meter quadrats, one on each side of the transect tape. (There is a total of 20 sampling stations per transect.) For each quadrat the dominant species of seagrass is identified then classified according to abundance. Four types of algae are also identified and classified. Information is then entered onto data sheets and into the Seagrass Monitoring Database as being sparse, medium or rich in abundance.