Caribbean environmental, tourism and economic authorities are meeting in Santo Domingo on Thursday, 15 June 2023 to analyze the impact of sargassum on beaches and the possible solutions and opportunities to the now serious problem. Sargassum is a floating macroalgae that forms colonies covering large areas and moves according to ocean currents.
“The Greater Caribbean-EU Regional Conference: Turning Sargassum into an Opportunity” has the backing of the Ministry of Foreign Relations and the Ministry of Environment of the Dominican Republic and the European Union. Participants will be able to exchange information on how to mitigate or use sargassum for the entire region’s benefit.
The Ministry of Foreign Relations says the conference will address the impact and risks of sargassum, its monitoring and management, its valorization and use. The objective of the conference is to foster public policies, regional frameworks and strengthen cooperation to boost private sector investment in efforts to resolve the problem.
The note specifies that although this seaweed forms a valuable ecosystem under normal climatic conditions, supporting oceanic food webs and providing refuge for endemic species, the uncontrolled increase of its massive blooms has threatened the environment, the economy and public health.
“This conference hopes to mark a milestone to awaken greater interest in the sargassum phenomenon at the regional level to seek viable solutions together to mitigate its impact on Caribbean countries,” states the Ministry of Foreign Relations.
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14 June 2023