Changes in Eelgrass (<i>Zostera marina</i>) in the Little Narragansett Bay Estuary between 2019 and 2022

Eelgrass (Zostera marina) is a native perennial marine angiosperm found in shallow bays and estuaries. Eelgrass beds are considered essential fish habitat and provide an important food source for marine organisms and waterfowl. This study examines changes in extent of the eelgrass beds in the southern portion of the Little Narragansett Bay Estuary, Rhode Island/Connecticut, USA between 2019 and 2022. The primary dataset used to delineate eelgrass beds was side-scan sonar coupled with underwater video imagery. Previous studies showed a decline in the extent of eelgrass here between 2012 and 2016. Our results show an increase in eelgrass coverage from 0.52 km2 in 2019 to 0.75 km2 in 2022. This increase in the extent of eelgrass occurred against the trends of declining eelgrass coverage both globally and regionally.