Commentary Examines BVI Sargassum Challenges
For anyone who has spent time near a Virgin Islands shoreline during a heavy sargassum season, the problem is hard to ignore. What begins as floating brown seaweed can quickly become a much larger concern when it washes ashore, decomposes and disrupts the coastal environment.
For anyone who has spent time near a Virgin Islands shoreline during a heavy sargassum season, the problem is hard to ignore. What begins as floating brown seaweed can quickly become a much larger concern when it washes ashore, decomposes and disrupts the coastal environment. For communities that depend on healthy beaches and marine life, the consequences go well beyond an unpleasant smell.
Now, the government has outlined a $1 million investment to strengthen the Territory’s response to the recurring influx. During his October 27 Budget Address, Premier Dr. Natalio Wheatley announced that the proposed funding would support the acquisition of specialised equipment to improve sargassum management. “This includes a specialised workboat with booms, conveyor collection, an Anegada beach rake and drones,” Wheatley told the House of Assembly.
The equipment would provide different ways of managing the seaweed, from monitoring its movement to collecting it before or after it reaches the shoreline. The proposed investment comes after another difficult sargassum season across the Territory, with Anegada experiencing particularly serious environmental consequences earlier this year.
Primary source: The Real BVI Community Board (Facebook)