Fact-finding Survey Regarding the Influx and Impacts of Sargassum Seaweed in the Caribbean Region: final report.

Abstract

The Caribbean region has suffered a sudden increase in the influx of Sargassum seaweed since 2011, and several countries in the region have requested support to the Government of Japan and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). In response JICA with support from CRFM conducted a “Factfinding survey regarding the influx and impacts of Sargassum seaweed in the Caribbean region” in order to gather information on the scope of damages and impacts and to determine the possibility of providing further support. The target countries included: Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Commonwealth of Dominica, Grenada, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and Trinidad and Tobago. The objectives of this survey were to: (i) review the existing literature and initiatives in the region; (ii) summarize the scope of damages and impacts caused by Sargassum seaweed in the target countries; (iii) suggest potential countermeasures and determine the scope of support that JICA may be able to provide in the future. In order to summarize the scope of damages and impacts caused by Sargassum influxes a number of methods were utilized including: 1) virtual meetings with the target countries; 2) development and circulation of questionnaires targeted at the fisheries divisions/departments; public sector agencies with responsibility for beach clean-ups; hotel associations; and innovators/entrepreneurs using Sargassum and; 3) field missions to gather more detailed country-level data, information and knowledge.