Global Stakeholder Understanding of Seaweed Biodiversity, Conservation, and Restoration - An Indonesian Case Study

Seaweed cultivation sustains the livelihoods of more than 6 million people worldwide, including over half a million people in Indonesia. As global production and demand for seaweed products accelerate, so does the urgency to protect wild seaweed populations from the impacts of climate change and habitat loss. A transition to sustainable cultivation could offer a powerful, nature-based, and climate-resilient solution to protect, restore, and enhance global seaweed biodiversity, strengthening marine ecosystems globally. This talk presents the results of a targeted knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) assessment, conducted with 100 seaweed stakeholders in South Sulawesi, Indonesia. Our findings shed light on stakeholder perspectives towards the ecological and community value of seaweeds and their awareness of the factors impacting seaweed biodiversity in the region. We will discuss how these local views and practices align or contrast with global priorities in seaweed conservation. Key insights will reveal effective local actions and strategies that support seaweed conservation, as well as the barriers stakeholders face in protecting seaweed stocks. Through this research, we hope to provide actionable guidance for advancing the sustainable management of seaweeds, that both safeguard marine biodiversity and local livelihoods.