Seagrasses are of immense ecological importance in marine ecosystems. Primary production rates for seagrass beds are amongst the highest recorded for marine and terrestrial systems. They have a well documented role as animal habitat, nursery grounds, and as substrate stabilizers.

The proximity of population centres to many of the seagrass­ colonised estuaries and embayments of the Australian coast has catalyzed research of the effects of pollution and erosion on these marine angiosperms. Although the importance of seagrass habitat and the potential for its loss has been recognized in these studies, ecological research remains surprisingly sparse. This is particularly so in the northern regions of Australia.

In northern Queensland, seagrass-vegetated areas are important as habitats for the juveniles of commercial penaeid prawn species. The tiger prawns, Penaeus esculentus and P. semisulcatus, and the endeavour prawn, Metapenaeus endeavouri, form the major component of an otter trawl fishery for prawns in this region worth around $60 million annually.