OECS tackles sargassum management following Martinique, Guadeloupe mission

CASTRIES--The Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States is moving to strengthen regional sargassum management after technical experts and policymakers completed a study mission to Martinique and Guadeloupe, where they examined collection, monitoring, processing and commercial-use strategies.

The June 1-5 mission brought together representatives from nine OECS Member States and was supported by the European Union’s 11th EDF RIGHT Programme and the SARSEA project.

Delegates assessed approaches already being used in the French Caribbean territories to reduce the effects of sargassum on coastal communities, marine ecosystems, tourism, fisheries and public health. The mission also focused on how the seaweed can be converted into commercially viable products as part of the Caribbean blue economy.

Across the Eastern Caribbean, recurring sargassum arrivals have created persistent challenges for coastal communities. When the seaweed accumulates and decomposes along shorelines, it releases gases that can affect public health and disrupt daily activity.

The impact extends to mangroves, coral reefs and beaches, while small-scale fishers may face damaged equipment and reduced access to fishing grounds. Coastal erosion and disruption to tourism-dependent areas have also increased the need for coordinated regional action.

Susana Agüero, Programme Manager at the Delegation of the European Union to Barbados, the Eastern Caribbean States, the OECS and CARICOM/CARIFORUM, said the French territories offer practical examples that can support wider Caribbean responses.

“Martinique is one of the French regions tackling the very same issues affecting economies, public health, and tourism across the wider Caribbean and OECS Member States. We are learning directly from their experience,” Agüero said.

“They have built an integrated network using multiple approaches, from manual collection to specialized sea barriers and offshore harvesting. Furthermore, ongoing developments in storage and processing will soon convert sargassum into valuable commercial products, simultaneously protecting vulnerable sectors and community health.”

The delegation examined the full sargassum management cycle, including offshore interception, coastal protection, environmentally sensitive collection, air-quality monitoring, worker safety and the conversion of collected seaweed into useful products.

At the Holdex facility in Le François, Martinique, delegates observed composting and bioenergy models that demonstrate the potential economic value of processed sargassum.

According to information presented during the mission, processed sargassum may contribute to agricultural yield increases of up to 14 per cent and can also be used in the production of biogas for energy needs.

Natasha Deterville-Moise, Officer-in-Charge of the OECS Economic Development Unit, said the findings will support the development of regional mitigation and adaptation plans.

“These operational insights will directly inform the development of robust regional mitigation and adaptation plans,” Deterville-Moise said during a roundtable discussion with local authorities in Marie-Galante.

“By fostering active collaboration between public and private stakeholders, the OECS Commission is positioning the proven solutions in the French Territories as a practical framework for building a more resilient and sustainable Eastern Caribbean.”

Delegates reviewed protective barriers and specialized barges in Martinique that are designed to intercept sargassum before it reaches environmentally sensitive shorelines.

Visits to Macabou and Pointe Faula also provided an opportunity to examine manual collection methods that reduce the need for heavy equipment on beaches.

Dr. Hardin Jn. Pierre, representing Saint Lucia’s Ministry of Agriculture, said the manual collection systems were particularly useful because heavy machinery can compact beach sand and disturb sea turtle nesting areas.

The mission also included engagement with Madininair in Martinique and Gwad’air in Guadeloupe, where participants reviewed air-quality monitoring and early-warning systems used to provide health alerts to coastal communities.

Miklembly Bridgeman of Grenada’s Ministry of Tourism highlighted the use of personal gas monitors during field operations. Bridgeman said similar safety measures will be important for protecting response teams working near decomposing sargassum.

The OECS Commission said the experience gained during the mission will help Member States translate tested practices, institutional systems and public-private partnerships into regional policies and national action plans.

The Commission said the initiative forms part of its wider effort to strengthen climate resilience, protect coastal livelihoods and create sustainable economic opportunities from a recurring regional environmental challenge.

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