This plant species has a very large extent of occurrence and area of occupancy and is common in the Mediterranean. However, it is declining in at least part of its range although it is not close to qualifying for any of the threatened categories. Therefore, it is assessed as Least Concern.

Cressa cretica is a thermo-cosmopolite species. Its global distribution covers the Mediterranean, western and central Asia, northern and central Africa, South America and Australia. It is known from numerous localities of North Africa as well as in Mediterranean Europe.
In the Mediterranean region, it is found in most of the countries: Algeria, Albania, Spain, Balearic Islands, Bulgaria, Greece, East Aegean Islands, Crete and Karpathos, Cyprus, Egypt, France, Corsica, Israel and Jordan, Italy, Sardinia, Sicily, Libya, Lebanon and Syria, Portugal, Morocco, Malta and Tunisia.

The size of the populations is unknown, but they seem to be stable or even in expansion in some localities of the south of France (Camargue). This increase would probably be a result of global warming.
- Morocco: at least 12 localities are distributed between the Saharan regions (Western Sahara, Draâ basin), the Anti Coastal Atlas, middle and north Atlantic Morocco and the Rif;
- Algeria: described as quite rare but present throughout the country. Appears to be in decline, especially in the Sahara, and again this may be linked to climate change;
- France: Pyrenees Orientals (Torreilles), Aude (coastal close to Narbonne), Hérault (Frontignan, Vic-La-Gardiole, Pérols, Mauguio), Gard (Aigues-Mortes), Bouches-du-Rhône (Martigues, strands of the pond of Berre, Crau, Camargue), Var (Hyères, Porquerolles), Alpes-Maritimes (Gulf-Juan, Cannes) and Corsica (Barcaggio, anse d'Arbitru, marsh and pond of San Giovanni, bay of Figari, gulf of Ventilègne, archipelago of the Lavezzi, Santa-Manza, Porto-Vecchio, Bonifacio, pond del Sale);
- Italy: Lazio (one locality), Puglia (one), Basilicata (one), Calabria (three localities of which two are possibly extinct), Sicily (five) and Sardinia (several). The species is scattered in a few, very fragmented populations (Scoppola and Spampinato 2005);
- Greece: scattered in saltmarshes throughout the country, rather common and not threatened.

Cressa cretica is a halophyte, perennial plant (Hemicryptophyte) that lives in salty oases or in depressions in wet sandy areas, exonded in summer such as temporary pools and marshes. The period of flowering goes from the end of spring until the beginning of fall. At the ecosystem level, the species shelters a mushroom and a weevil that are rare.

Urbanization and drainage constitute the main threats on the habitat of this species. Grazing is also a problem, especially in coastal marshes.

This species is included in the Red Data Book of France (Olivier et al. 1995). A natural reserve, the archipelago of the Lavezzis in Corsica, has been designated and it also occurs in conservatory properties of coastal space and riparian beaches (sites of San Giovanni). It is considered Endangered for Italy (Scoppola and Spampinato 2005).

In North Africa, there are no conservation measures in place but it is recommended to monitor the existing sites and the population dynamics, to study the biology and ecology of the species and estimate the population size, and to implement legal protection measures.