Challenges of Turning the Sargassum Crisis into Gold: Current Constraints and Implications for the Caribbean

Abstract

Over the last decade, the Caribbean has seen massive, episodic influxes of pelagic sargassum negatively impacting coastal ecosystems, people’s livelihoods and climate-sensitive sectors. Addressing this issue solely as a hazard has proven extremely costly and attention is slowly turning towards the potential opportunities for sargassum reuse and valorization. However, turning the ‘sargassum crisis into gold’ is not easy. In this study we use a multi-method approach to learn from sargassum stakeholders (researchers, entrepreneurs and established businesses) across the Caribbean about the constraints and challenges they are facing. These can be grouped into five broad categories: (1) unpredictable supply of sargassum; (2) issues related with the chemical composition of the seaweed; (3) harvest, transport and storage; (4) governance; and (5) funding. Specific issues and potential solutions associated with each of these categories are reviewed in detail and recommended actions are mapped to five entry points along a generalized value chain to demonstrate how these actions can contribute to the development of sustainable sargassum value chains that promote economic opportunities and could help alleviate impacts of massive influxes. This paper offers guidance to policy makers and funding agencies on existing gaps and challenges that need to be addressed in order to scale-up successful and sustainable solutions to the sargassum crisis.

Commercial Potential of Pelagic Sargassum spp. in Mexico

“…Recent reports (Oxenford et al, 2021;Robledo et al, 2021) have already highlighted the general challenges in the valorization, and industrialization of sargasso in the Caribbean. A strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) analysis helps to identify the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats related to the commercialization of sargasso in Mexico (Figure 10).…”

“…Current available scientific evidence points to massive sargasso accumulations being the new norm at present and in the future (Oxenford et al, 2021;UNEP-CEP, 2021). The trends show seasonal variability in Mexico, with the peak times for influx being between May and September (Chávez et al, 2020).…”

“…The increasingly massive influxes arriving on the Mexican coast could be seen as an opportunity to develop products with added-value. Initially, there was uncertainty as to whether the influxes of sargasso would recur; at present it is generally accepted that periodic massive sargasso inundations on the shores is the new "normal, " and that adaptation and mitigation strategies must be developed (e.g., Oxenford et al, 2021), including the commercialization of sargasso. The hypothetical commercial value of sargasso is becoming increasingly recognized, and many local communities throughout the Caribbean are becoming aware of its remarkable potential (Desrochers et al, 2020).…”

Seasonal Predictions of Holopelagic Sargassum Across the Tropical Atlantic Accounting for Uncertainty in Drivers and Processes: The SARTRAC Ensemble Forecast System

“…A wide range of uses for sargassum has meanwhile been identified, providing business opportunities (Desrochers et al, 2020). The unpredictable supply of sargassum is however identified as one of five challenges that face stakeholders concerned with potential opportunities for sargassum reuse and valorisation (Oxenford et al, 2021). For resilient adaptation to this environmental challenge, we therefore need to better understand and predict the annual influxes of sargassum to beaches throughout the tropical Atlantic.…”

Data_Sheet_1.docx

“…For example, the interannual irregularity of the influx produces maintenance costs for equipment in nonsargasso years, which should be included in determining viable business scenarios. Oxenford et al (2021) have already stated that the irregular supply of sargasso is a major challenge for the valorization of sargasso on an industrial scale. The overall amount of sargasso available as a raw material for industrial development cannot be guaranteed.…”