Task force to be set up to deal with Sargassum seaweed problem

St Vincent and the Grenadines will soon see the establishment of a task force to help deal with large deposits of Sargassum seaweed on beaches across St Vincent and the Grenadines.

The issue of the seaweed was raised in Parliament on Monday in a question which was posed to Agriculture Minister Saboto Caesar by Member for the Southern Grenadines,Terrance Ollivierre.

In his response, Minister Caesar disclosed plans for the establishment of a Seaweed Invasion Task Force in St Vincent and the Grenadines.
Caesar said as a result of the problems caused by the Sargassum seaweed, Cabinet had directed the Ministry of Agriculture to set up the task force, which will then advise the government on how to best manage the seaweed invasion.

Persons from within the ministries of agriculture, transport, health, as well as National Parks Rivers and Beaches Authority will be members of the task force.

Caesar added that in 2015 the Fisheries Division had created a National Action Plan for the invasion of Sargassum seaweed.

Also in that year, large amounts of Sargassum seaweed were cleared from the area of the Owia Fisheries Centre.

Samples of the deposits were then taken to the research centre at Orange Hill for analysis.

The minister noted that at present they are working to see how the seaweed can be used as a fertilizer.

Additionally, Caesar said government has signed on to a US$2 million project, the Japan Grant Aid, for the purchasing of equipment and to pay for services to have the seaweed removed from beaches across St Vincent and the Grenadines.

So far, the presence of the Sargassum seaweed has had a negative impact on tourism and also on the fishing industry.