Proceeds from the Oceanic x Ibiza city-by-city experience were directed to support the Save Posidonia Project by Manu San Felix.
Posidonia oceanica is a type of seagrass found in the Mediterranean. Seagrass beds are vital for filtering and oxygenating the water, maintaining clear waters necessary for coral reef ecosystems as well as mitigating eutrophication and ocean acidification by uptaking excess nutrients and carbon.
In the waters surrounding Ibiza, Posidonia meadows (recognized as a UNESCO world heritage site) are rapidly diminishing due to increased tourism and recreational boat use. It can take up to 100 years for just 1 square meter of Posidonia to grow, so this environmental devastation could have lasting consequences.
To address this issue, the Save Posidonia Project uses “side-scan” sonar, aerial drone and underwater imagery to identify and map out where the seagrass is located for ecological monitoring. A solution-oriented app (went live on July 8, 2018) then uses this information to guide boat anchoring away from the meadows with real-time data.
Download the app here.
