Sargassum seaweed in the Caribbean: A major public health problem still unsolved

Abstract

For the past decade (beginning in 2011), excessive quantities of sargassum have been accumulating not only in the Caribbean Sea (Photo) but in Central America, North America, and Africa [1-3]. During this period, practically all governmental focus in the Caribbean has been directed mainly on coastline cleanup (as a response to pressure from fishing communities whose vessels were often marooned) and agroprocessing of the weed into fertilizer or landfills. Fishing communities tend to be concentrated in rural areas and make significant contributions to the local economies and can jointly command governments’ attention, as with the focus on clearance for marooned boats. Governments would not, however, help with the repair of damaged engines