Volunteers waded and snorkelled through shallow water to collect mature seeds from the seagrass meadows. Dr Tim Ferrero, senior specialist at the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust, said: "Seagrass seed collection is a little like an underwater harvest. "We collect only the mature seed-bearing spathes and then use those seeds to help restore seagrass meadows in the Solent. Once widespread across the Solent, seagrass meadows have declined sharply due to disease, pollution, dredging, and coastal development. The project is part of the Solent Seascape Project and the Solent Seagrass Restoration Project, both of which rely heavily on volunteer support.