A partnership involving the Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism (CRFM), the New Zealand Foreign Affairs and Trade Aid Programme, and Plant and Food Research Limited is collaborating to address the increasing influx of Sargassum in affected Caribbean countries each year. This project aims to mitigate the environmental and economic impacts of this specific seaweed by creating inclusive value chains from the brown algae.
According to a report shared by the CRFM, this collaboration aims to identify and implement suitable sustainable technologies for the efficient harvesting of Sargassum, develop product prototypes and production processes derived from the seaweed, and develop a commercialization strategy to support the marketing of these new products. The initiative will focus on four main outputs across four activity areas.
The process began in 2021 and is anticipated to be completed by 2025. It involves testing and harvesting raw materials and developing products and processes. Additionally, a strategy for product commercialization will be created. The final phase includes outreach and developing the supply chain.
Agricultural product from Sargassum
The latest development focuses on creating a liquid biostimulant from Sargassum to enhance plant growth. Positive results were observed during tests conducted in 2024 in the Caribbean, specifically with cucumbers and sweet peppers. Nutrient levels and heavy metal tests on vegetables and the soil yielded favorable results. According to information shared by the CRFM, this new product is expected to alleviate the financial burden caused by the rising costs of imported fertilizers. Once finalized and made available, it could significantly boost the agricultural sector by providing a more cost-effective solution.
A pilot plant trial will be conducted in collaboration with Caribbean Chemicals and Agencies Ltd. During this trial, batches of the product will be produced for further testing. Following the results of this pilot plant project, a commercialization strategy will be finalized and shared for potential regional upscaling.
The project is still in its early stages, and to ensure safety throughout the value chain, further reviews will be carried out on the cucumbers and sweet peppers grown using the Sargassum-based product. Additional soil analysis will also be conducted.
Sophie Jones-Williams, the Program Manager for International Development at the New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research, shared with The San Pedro Sun that while the focus in the short term will be on harvesting and manufacturing in Jamaica, there are hopes to expand harvesting to other affected countries in the region once production reaches a larger scale. “This will reduce the quantity washing up along the coasts,” she said. “It will alleviate the burden that these influxes place on coastal environments and communities while also stimulating industry around harvesting.”
Williams also noted that the project aims to provide a locally produced alternative to imported fertilizers for farmers and will help create jobs through industrial expansion.
Governmental Endorsement
At the 14th Special Meeting of the CRFM Ministerial Council, held on October 8, 2024, in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, a group of ministers responsible for fisheries called upon all stakeholders and key partners to continue collaborating on the project. They emphasized its importance and the potential blue economic benefits that could arise from the initiative. This is particularly significant for Belize, which has a young Blue Economy Ministry.
The ministerial meeting also discussed the necessity of prioritizing this initiative due to the potential benefits of turning Sargassum into a viable commercial product. Additionally, such efforts could create jobs, support the transformation of the blue economy, and mitigate the negative impacts on tourism and the fishing industries in the affected Caribbean countries.
In Ambergris Caye, Area Representative Honorable Andre Perez announced in May 2024 the acquisition of two Sargassum skimmers. These skimmers, also known as harvester machines, are part of a collaborative project with the Hol Chan Marine Reserve. They are boat-like machines designed to capture Sargassum at sea before it reaches the shoreline. Perez stated that once operational, the machines will collect Sargassum from the sea and transport it to a smaller barge on the island’s western side, where it will be deposited in a designated collection area. However, residents have yet to see the skimmers in action as the Sargassum influx along the coast of Ambergris Caye begins to increase. An update on the operation of the skimmers could not be obtained from the relevant authorities on the island.
Marine experts anticipate that 2025 will be another significant year for sargassum seaweed, primarily due to high levels of sargassum in the tropical Atlantic. According to a sargassum outlook released on January 31, 2025, by the University of South Florida’s Optical Oceanography Lab (OOL), a substantial amount of sargassum seaweed is expected to be present throughout the tropical Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea for the entire year.
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