Lawmakers give green light to seagrass technology innovation bill

In eight years, 2011-2019, Florida lost around 58% of existing seagrasses.

The House substituted a Senate bill for their efforts and will now send to the Governor a plan to discover and fund new technologies to combat seagrass depletion.

SB 724 would establish a Seagrass Restoration Technology Development Initiative within the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP).

The initiative would involve a partnership between DEP, Mote Marine Laboratory and the University of Florida (UF), and establish the Initiative Technology Advisory Council as part of the plan.

“Unfortunately, seagrasses along both coasts, most notably the Indian River Lagoon and Florida Bay, are rapidly being lost,” Bradenton Republican Rep. Will Robinson said during the bill’s second reading.

“This bill allows a focused and applied science-based statewide strategic restoration initiative to address the diminishing seagrass habitat and diversity.”

There were no questions and no debate as the House passed the bill on third reading.