PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - The Nature Foundation Sint Maarten has launched a public survey aimed at gathering information on the impact of sargassum seaweed on the island, with the findings expected to help guide future government policy and management decisions.
The survey is being conducted on behalf of the Ministry of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure (VROMI) and invites participation from residents, business owners, and tourists on the Dutch side of the island.
According to the Nature Foundation, the study seeks to assess the health, social, and economic effects of sargassum, which has increasingly accumulated along Caribbean coastlines in recent years.
The organisation noted that while several Caribbean islands are experimenting with solutions such as floating barriers and commercial processing of sargassum, many of these initiatives remain in pilot stages and may not be suitable for Sint Maarten’s local conditions.
The study is being carried out in collaboration with a research student from Polytech Grenoble INP in France and also includes field monitoring of sargassum accumulation.
Strategic approach
VROMI Minister Patrice Gumbs stated that the survey is intended to support the development of a more strategic and long-term approach to managing sargassum on the island.
