Barbados explores harvesting sargassum at sea before it reaches beaches

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, CMC – Barbados is exploring the use of pump harvesters to collect sargassum at sea before the seaweed reaches the island’s heavily affected beaches.

National Project Coordinator of the Sargassum Seaweed Collection Unit, David Carter, said the initiative is aimed at reducing the amount of sargassum reaching shorelines while limiting the environmental damage associated with removing large quantities of seaweed from beaches.

“We’re using the pump harvester to get away from destroying the beaches,” Carter told reporters on Wednesday.

He was speaking as a visiting team from the Dominican Republic explored opportunities for sustainable sargassum management in Barbados.

Carter said the equipment would be placed in the water and use floating booms and mesh to help prevent fish and turtles from being drawn into the harvesting system.

“It is just to get the sargassum out of the water through a pump system, so that this sargassum can be used later for biogas and stuff like that,” he said.

The Sargassum Seaweed Collection Unit, part of the Ministry of the Environment, is considering River Bay in St Lucy as a possible location for the first pump harvester. Skeetes Bay in St Philip is also being assessed.

Carter said River Bay’s relatively calm conditions make it more suitable for the equipment, while rougher seas at Skeetes Bay could present logistical challenges.

The proposed approach would allow sargassum to be harvested before it reaches the shoreline, where its removal can contribute to coastal erosion.

Meanwhile, about 150 workers are deployed daily to clear sargassum from beaches across the island. Carter said approximately 3.6 million pounds of the seaweed had been removed from Barbados’ beaches so far this year.

Among the most challenging locations are River Bay, Skeetes Bay and Long Beach in Christ Church.

Carter said some beaches, including Enterprise, also known as Miami Beach, have gone several weeks without being cleared, creating frustration for beachgoers and seaside businesses.

He said the authorities are continuing to examine ways to harvest and utilise the seaweed, including its potential use in the production of biogas and other products.

Follow The Gleaner on X, formerly Twitter, and Instagram @JamaicaGleaner and on Facebook @GleanerJamaica. Send us a message on WhatsApp at 1-876-499-0169 or email us at onlinefeedback@gleanerjm.com or editors@gleanerjm.com.