Global Sanitation Benefits of Seagrass: Reducing Human Pathogens in Seafood and Enhancing Coastal Urban Green Infrastructure Planning

Globally, several disease cases and sanitary costs are likely to be avoided yearly thanks to the seagrass's capability to reduce bacterial human pathogens, even antibiotic-resistant ones, in seafood other than seawater. From a one-health perspective, seagrasses may ensure fewer deaths and fewer losses of years of full-health life and money every year. The estimated expected yearly values of this seafood sanitation ecosystem service provided by seagrass are in the order of tens of thousands of cases and millions of dollars, also playing an important humanitarian role. Thus, considering this and their other valuable ecosystem services, the conservation of these plants is paramount, their restoration is socio-economically rewarding, and their inclusion in green/blue infrastructure planning should be considered a strategic priority to foster.