Management and Conservation:
The Sairagi, Boboe, Kongulavata, and Pusiju communities cooperate to protect the coral reefs and mangrove forests where sea grapes grow.
The communities have established management areas, formed management boards, and appointed Community Rangers to monitor the health of the resource.
The goal is to ensure the long-term abundance of sea grapes, support local livelihoods, and enhance resilience to climate shocks.
Harvesting and Processing:
The core rule is to only pick young shoots and strictly prohibit uprooting entire plants to protect their regenerative capacity.
Harvesters use hand-woven baskets (telas) and protect the sea grapes from sun or rain with plastic or leaves to maintain freshness.
After harvesting, the sea grapes are "healed" by soaking the baskets in seawater overnight, helping the cuts heal quickly and retaining moisture in the plant.
Monitoring and Development:
Data from regular monitoring is used to inform management decisions, including pausing harvesting when sea grapes need time to recover.
To increase value and ensure income during harvesting pauses, communities are piloting the production and sale of products such as soap and body lotion made from sea grapes.
