Sargassum project, SARSEA, launched in St Lucia, DA fisheries minister attends

The official launch of the Sargassum Regional Strategies for Ecosystem-based Actions (SARSEA) initiative took place on October 28 in Saint Lucia, marked by the presence of numerous government officials, institutional leaders, and scientific experts from across the Caribbean region.

According to an OECS press release, Participants included representatives such as, Hon. Jullan Defoe, Minister of State in Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Blue and Green Economy of the Commonwealth of Dominica; Permanent Secretary Bradley St. Ange, on behalf of Hon. Alfred Prospere, Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security and Rural Development of Saint Lucia; Permanent Secretary Javan Williams on behalf of Hon. Lennox Andrews, Minister of Blue Economy and Marine Affairs of Grenada.

It is reported that the primary goal is to mitigate the adverse effects of sargassum beachings on local economies, communities, and coastal ecosystems.

A united effort to address a regional issue

For years, the Caribbean coastline has been increasingly impacted by sargassum influxes, which have disrupted everyday life, threatened public health, and harmed marine habitats, said the press release. Key economic sectors such as tourism and fishing have also suffered. In response to this pressing environmental and social challenge, SARSEA seeks to establish a coordinated regional response through three core pillars:

1. Enhancing regional collaboration on sargassum management and planning to boost awareness and harmonize policies across borders.
2. Assisting small island nations—including Dominica, Grenada, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines—in deploying integrated strategies for managing and valorizing sargassum, fostering sustainable and circular use.
3. Promoting regional scientific cooperation to deepen understanding of sargassum phenomena, improve impact prediction, and inform effective management decisions.

An additional cross-cutting focus involves integrating gender perspectives into all policies and actions related to sargassum, ensuring inclusivity and fairness in response efforts.

The event’s opening featured dialogues emphasizing regional cooperation

As per the release, the launch ceremony gathered top regional representatives, all of whom expressed their support for SARSEA and their commitment to joint efforts in managing sargassum. Among notable speakers were H.E. Marie-Noëlle Duris, French Ambassador to the Eastern Caribbean States, Barbados, and OECS; H.E. Arnaud Mentré, France’s ambassador overseeing regional cooperation in the Atlantic zone; and officials from partner countries.

Dominica underscored the importance of a coordinated, large-scale regional approach, stressing that each island should leverage its unique capacity within the sargassum value chain. Saint Lucia reaffirmed its dedication to regional collaboration and sustainable solutions, emphasizing its readiness to contribute wherever necessary. Grenada outlined its priorities, which include establishing a testing facility, a regional monitoring system, a unified collection process, and enhanced health monitoring.

H.E. Marie-Noëlle Duris highlighted France’s longstanding involvement in combating sargassum, stating,“For more than a decade, France has been at the forefront of the fight against sargassum, mobilising both the State and local authorities in Guadeloupe, Martinique, and Saint Martin to improve monitoring, collection, and treatment systems. This joint effort, between national institutions and local authorities, has produced valuable expertise that is now being shared regionally, helping to build a coherent and coordinated response across the Eastern Caribbean.”

Dr. Didacus Jules, OECS Director General, delivered a recorded message emphasizing the project’s importance: “While these four Member States will benefit directly from the project, we are equally committed to using the OECS Commission’s platform to ensure inclusivity and knowledge sharing. Lessons learned, tools developed, and best practices emerging from SARSEA will be disseminated across all twelve Member States, ensuring that every country and territory in our community benefits from this collective effort.”

Reportedly, the launch was further marked by the signing of a formal partnership agreement (memorandum of understanding) between the OECS and Expertise France, attended by Mathilde De Williencourt, Deputy Director of Expertise France’s Sustainable Development Department; Chamberlain Emmanuel, Head of the OECS Environmental Sustainability Division; and Clara Dufresne, AFD Regional Project Manager.

The morning session featured two panel discussions: one on “Shaping the Future of Sustainable Sargassum Management: Partner Country Perspectives,” focusing on national strategies and insights; the other on “Regional Collaboration: Challenges and Opportunities under the SARSEA Project,” exploring prospects for joint planning and scientific cooperation.

In the afternoon, participants reviewed the project’s strategic framework and held a coordination meeting to align efforts among regional partners involved in sargassum initiatives.

The following day, on October 29, attendees participated in the inaugural collective scientific assessment workshop, facilitated by the French National Research Institute for Sustainable Development (IRD).

Towards a unified Caribbean strategy

With this formal launch, SARSEA aims to reinforce a network of committed stakeholders across the public, private, and scientific sectors. By sharing expertise, data, and successful practices, the project seeks to enhance preparedness and response capabilities for sargassum strandings, thereby bolstering the resilience of coastal communities and ecosystems.

OECS reported that the project is financed by France through the Agence française de développement (AFD) and executed by Expertise France, in collaboration with the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) Commission