Lack of funding impedes research to combat sargassum

Santo Domingo – The president of the Dominican Association of Universities (ADOU), Wady Ramírez, said that the lack of funding is the main obstacle for the country’s academies to advance in research to face the “devastating” effects of sargassum on the Dominican coasts, with repercussions on tourism, fishing, and the environment.

“The country’s universities must work for innovative solutions to face the effects of this problem that affects our economy and the environment,” said the academic rector of the Eugenio María de Hostos University (Uniremhos).

He advocated that the public and private sectors join forces to solve this evil, “which has direct repercussions on the quality of life of many Dominican families.”

He added, “scientific research is essential to understand the phenomenon of sargassum better and develop technologies and methods that allow us to manage its impact more effectively.”

“Sargassum is not only an environmental problem, but it also has direct repercussions on our economy and on the quality of life of many Dominican families,” he said.

The president of ADOU pointed out that, in the most recent sargassum forecast bulletin issued by the Optical Oceanography Laboratory of the University of South Florida (USF), a significant increase in the amount of sargassum in the Atlantic, the Caribbean Sea, and the Gulf of Mexico was reported during the month of May.

According to that report, the amount of sargassum reached 10 million metric tons, and the increase of 1.9 million tons in the West Atlantic was especially highlighted, as well as an increase of 400% in the western Caribbean Sea.

“These figures underscore the importance of addressing this environmental challenge urgently,” he said.
“It is imperative that we act now to mitigate its effects and find long-term sustainable solutions,” he continued.