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The Virgin Islands could unlock opportunities while strengthening public health, tourism and environmental protection through better management of sargassum seaweed.
That was one of the key takeaways from a recent regional study visit to Martinique and Guadeloupe attended by Deputy Secretary in the Premier's Office, Dr Lavon Chalwell-Brewley, and Climate Change Officer Atoya George.
According to a Government Information Service (GIS) press release, the officials participated in technical briefings, site visits and consultations examining how Caribbean territories are managing the growing challenge posed by recurring sargassum influxes.
“The knowledge gained has direct relevance to ongoing discussions regarding environmental management, public health protection, tourism resilience, fisheries sustainability, and opportunities for the productive utilisation of collected sargassum,” Dr Chalwell-Brewley said.
She noted that the Virgin Islands could benefit from practical strategies aimed at improving coastal resilience, protecting ecosystems and creating value from collected sargassum rather than treating it solely as a nuisance.
Among the recommendations emerging from the visit were exploring community-based collection programmes involving fishermen and coastal communities, assessing air quality monitoring systems in affected areas, evaluating the use of barriers and barges, and investigating opportunities to convert processed sargassum into compost.
The study visit formed part of the SARSEA Initiative, a regional programme supported by the European Union, the Agence Française de Développement, Expertise France and the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States.
That was one of the key takeaways from a recent regional study visit to Martinique and Guadeloupe attended by Deputy Secretary in the Premier's Office, Dr Lavon Chalwell-Brewley, and Climate Change Officer Atoya George.
According to a Government Information Service (GIS) press release, the officials participated in technical briefings, site visits and consultations examining how Caribbean territories are managing the growing challenge posed by recurring sargassum influxes.
“The knowledge gained has direct relevance to ongoing discussions regarding environmental management, public health protection, tourism resilience, fisheries sustainability, and opportunities for the productive utilisation of collected sargassum,” Dr Chalwell-Brewley said.
She noted that the Virgin Islands could benefit from practical strategies aimed at improving coastal resilience, protecting ecosystems and creating value from collected sargassum rather than treating it solely as a nuisance.
Among the recommendations emerging from the visit were exploring community-based collection programmes involving fishermen and coastal communities, assessing air quality monitoring systems in affected areas, evaluating the use of barriers and barges, and investigating opportunities to convert processed sargassum into compost.
The study visit formed part of the SARSEA Initiative, a regional programme supported by the European Union, the Agence Française de Développement, Expertise France and the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States.
© 2026 BVI Platinum News. This article is original BVI Platinum content. Reproduction or republication without written permission is prohibited.
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