PHILIPSBURG:--- The Nature Foundation Sint Maarten has launched a public survey to gather essential data on the impacts of sargassum seaweed on Sint Maarten. Carried out on behalf of the Ministry of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure (VROMI), the study’s findings will directly inform and guide future government management decisions.
The survey invites participation from residents, business owners, and tourists on Sint Maarten. This inclusive approach aims to measure the health, social, and economic consequences of sargassum seaweed, a brown macroalgae that accumulates on shorelines in massive quantities. The data collected will provide a technical foundation for Sint Maarten to develop a sustainable management strategy.
While residents have often pointed to the variety of actions being taken by other islands across the Caribbean—including floating barriers and processing for cosmetic and building purposes—the Nature Foundation cautions that these initiatives are still in their pilot phases, require substantial financial investment, and may not be suitable for Sint Maarten’s unique environmental and economic context.
“The results of this survey will help Sint Maarten stop reacting to sargassum and start planning for it,” said a spokesperson for the Nature Foundation. “Specific data is vital for the government to make evidence-based decisions for successful and cost-effective actions where it is most needed, rather than hopeful but ultimately expensive, scattered, and ineffective initiatives.”
The study is being conducted in collaboration with a research student from Polytech Grenoble INP, France, under the supervision of the Nature Foundation, and includes on-site sargassum monitoring fieldwork. It represents the first phase of a two-step approach to help the government identify which mitigation strategies will be most effective locally.
“The longstanding approach to combatting sargassum—collecting on beaches—is the cheapest, but this seaweed’s growing presence has a negative impact on health, quality of life, and our tourism product. This survey will help in defining a more strategic, long-term plan for managing sargassum,” stated Minister of VROMI Patrice Gumbs.
As this study is commissioned by the Government of Sint Maarten, data collection is focused on the Dutch side of the island. The form should take less than ten minutes to complete, and participants can access the questionnaire via the following link: https://forms.gle/KcZnHoq5JCWZ9FiP7 or on the Nature Foundation’s official website and social media channels.
