Caribbean environmental adviser Edgar Hunter emphasised the need for regional cooperation on sargassum at the Caribbean Environmental and Technical Research Initiative (CETRI) Workshop in Dominica this week. He warned that the seaweed invasion continues to threaten the region – including St. Kitts and Nevis – as well as other CARICOM nations.
Hunter, a Senior Technical Advisor in Dominica’s Ministry of the Environment, told Starcom Network News that “there’s no quick fix to the sargassum problem,” adding that “if CARICOM member states… come together, we can better manage its impacts through shared resources, research, and coordinated action”.
Sargassum blooms have overwhelmed beaches in St. Kitts and Nevis, where coastal communities, fishers, and tourism operators face serious disruption.
Floating tangles of decaying seaweed hinder fishing vessels, obstruct beaches, erode shorelines and produce noxious odours. In St. Kitts and Nevis, hotel operators have resorted to costly manual and mechanical cleaning, while fishermen are often stranded or face clogged propellers—limiting their livelihoods. Marine life is also threatened; decomposing sargassum mats affect turtle nesting and seagrass beds.
Agencies, such as the Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism and UNDP, are testing responses like booms, conveyors and innovative repurposing initiatives under a US$12.3 million regional project running through 2025. However, Hunter emphasised that only enhanced coordination among CARICOM states will bring meaningful change.
Hunter proposed establishing regional early warning systems, shared best practices, and collaborative resource usage. “A regional approach means we can develop early warning systems, share best practices and explore economic uses on a larger scale,” he stated.
The issue gained urgency as studies note rising ocean temperatures, nutrient influxes and climate change are intensifying sargassum blooms in the Atlantic basin. Responding to this growing environmental and economic threat, CARICOM members are increasingly advocating unified strategies.
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