Sand extraction is an overlooked threat to marine ecosystems

The extraction of sand from the ocean floor for construction and other industries has surged. Despite its far-reaching impacts on aquatic ecosystems, this activity is largely overlooked and unregulated.

Scientists have been urging governments, communities, and investors to acknowledge the value of the grains that rest beneath our seas.

Highlighting the importance of sand has never been more critical, especially as it relates to balancing human progress with aquatic preservation.

“Sand is a critical resource that shapes the built and natural worlds,” said Jianguo “Jack” Liu of Michigan State University.

Sand extraction harms ecosystems

The growing practice of sediment dredging has sparked concerns about water cloudiness and smothered seagrasses. In 2017, researchers highlighted these risks in a paper published in the journal Science.

The report emphasized how nations tend to ignore the delicate balance between development and safeguarding marine biodiversity. Habitats are often disturbed by sand extraction, which can send local economies into a tailspin.

Broader environmental policies

Aurora Torres is a researcher at the University of Alicante in Spain and the study’s lead author.

“Since sand extraction is closely linked to coastal erosion, climate adaptation, and biodiversity loss, integrating it into broader environmental policies – such as marine protected areas, blue carbon strategies, climate resilience plans, and strategic natural resource management – is crucial to ensuring it is not treated as an isolated issue,” said Torres.

Collaborative strategies that link communities, policymakers, and scientists are gaining momentum. Marine environments offer resources for everything from fishing to tourism, yet sand extraction lags behind in terms of regulations and oversight.

Metacoupling methods, which examine social and ecological interactions across regions, could offer a path to identifying better solutions.

Largely overlooked sand extraction

Many coastal regions see dredging as a localized activity, even though marine sand collection ranks among the most common human operations in nearshore areas after fishing.

As a result of this neglect in public discourse, long-term damage is overlooked that may affect future generations.

Coastal erosion speeds up when sediment is stripped away, threatening shores that protect communities from storms. These areas often lose their natural defenses, leaving them vulnerable to rising seas and heavier wave action.

Impacts on ocean life

Marine species rely on underwater dunes and sediment for spawning, nourishment, and shelter.

Disrupting these zones can set off a chain reaction that leaves both small plankton and larger fish struggling to survive.

Clouded waters can hamper photosynthesis in seagrasses, while loosening sediment can carry invasive species to vulnerable areas. Scientists suggest that accountability in extraction is a key to halting further harm.

The global demand for ocean sand

Concrete, asphalt, and numerous modern products require sand, and this resource is generally easy to get.

The United Nations Environment Programme notes that global sand usage likely tops tens of billions of tons each year, prompting calls for responsible management.

Some countries are putting measures in place to protect coasts from over-extraction. Others face pressure to supply rapidly expanding markets that need raw materials for infrastructure and technology.

Sustainable solutions to reduce damage

Partnerships between environmental agencies and construction industries could incentivize more sustainable practices to protect sand.

Restoration efforts and well-enforced marine protected areas may offer long-term benefits for local ecosystems and economies alike.

“Ultimately, the key to action is making sand extraction visible – through stronger data, improved governance, and direct links to pressing environmental and economic concerns,” noted Torres.

“The more evident and tangible its impacts become, the harder it will be to ignore the need for responsible management.”

Unchecked resource extraction

Scientists are optimistic that global awareness can alter the course of unchecked resource use. Some regions are already testing innovative recycling techniques that reduce the demand for freshly mined sand.

Addressing these challenges will involve public engagement, political commitment, and corporate responsibility.

Ecosystems that depend on healthy sediment cycles have a lot to gain from more transparent data and systematic assessments. The costs of ignoring these signals will extend beyond coastlines and ripple into human livelihoods.

The study is published in the journal One Earth.

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