About
The UK Seagrass Symposium.
The UK Seagrass Symposium returns - bigger, bolder, and more vital than ever - on the breathtaking west coast of Scotland. Following the tremendous success of the 2025 gathering, which welcomed over 200 delegates from across the UK and beyond, 2027 will mark a step change for the sector.
What began as a pioneering national forum has rapidly become the beating heart of the UK seagrass restoration and science movement.
Now, we gather at a critical moment, when seagrass is no longer just a conservation priority, but a cornerstone of our climate resilience, biodiversity recovery, and coastal community futures.
Symposium Details
What to expect.
Join us on Scotland’s west coast as we shape the next chapter, and position seagrass not only as a habitat worth protecting, but as a foundation for a resilient, thriving coastal future. This is not just a conference.It is a catalyst.A marketplace of ideas.A launchpad for partnerships.A defining moment.
Steven Canty
Director, MarineGEO & Tennenbaum Marine Observatories Network at the Smithsonian Institution
Aurora Ricart
Researcher studying global change in marine ecosystems Institut de Ciències del Mar (CSIC), Barcelona
The Seedbed provides a platform for organisations and businesses to showcase products, services, research and initiatives to a diverse audience of scientists, restoration practitioners, government representatives, community leaders and industry stakeholders. More than an exhibition space, The Seedbed is designed to encourage networking, partnership-building and cross-sector collaboration that continue to grow beyond the symposium.
Enjoy a three-course Scottish-inspired menu in the intimate setting of the historic Argyllshire Gathering Halls, followed by a traditional evening cèilidh. An opportunity to unwind, connect with fellow delegates and experience a lively celebration of Scottish hospitality, music and dance.
Symposium themes
Abstract submissions will be welcomed shortly around the following themes:
Restoration that works
Forming new international collaborations to drive innovation and field-tested methodology for lasting and powerful impacts.
Communities as catalysts
Learning from coastal communities, sharing local stewardship ideas, processes and challenges with a wider community.
Seedling to seascape
Advancing germination science, seedling resilience, and scalable restoration.
Location
Oban.
The 2027 Seagrass Symposium is taking place in Oban, hosted by the Scottish Association for Marine Science. Oban is the perfect place for marine science with diverse oceanographic environments on the doorstep, relatively clean waters supporting high marine biodiversity all around us and sheltered deep-water sites within nearby sea lochs where we can test and deploy marine technologies.
From hostels to hotels, Oban has a wide range of accommodation to suit all budgets. Accommodation books up very quickly so we recommend securing a room as early as possible. Check the links below for some options.
Oban is 2-3 hours from Glasgow, Edinburgh and Inverness. It is serviced by regular train and bus services, as well as a small airport in North Connel and a major ferry port connecting us to many of the Hebridean islands.
Corran Halls
54 Corran Esplanade, Oban PA34 5AB.
Sponsorship Opportunities
Position your brand at the forefront of nature-based climate solutions. This is more than event sponsorship. It is an opportunity to stand visibly alongside a growing national movement - one that sees seagrass not just as habitat, but as infrastructure for a resilient, low-carbon future.