Determining the potential ecological and economic impacts of Sargassum blooms and its potential use as a resource in Belize
Julianna Cofinas
Co-Presenters: Individual Presentation
College: The Dorothy and George Hennings College of Science, Mathematics and Technology
Major: Enviornmental Sciences
Faculty Research Mentor: Daniela Shebitz
Abstract:
Caribbean coastlines are currently being affected by millions of tons of Sargassum, a brown macroalgae, washing up on beaches due to increased pollution from oils, fertilizers, and global climate change. In a field observation conducted on a Kean University Travelearn course to Belize in January 2025, vast stretches of Sargassum were seen along the shorelines of islands and coral reefs of South Water Caye, bringing plastic debris and dead marine fauna from across the ocean with it. While the impact of Sargassum blooms on the Caribbean Islands’ economies and ecosystems is often catastrophic, an initial literature search revealed that there may be opportunities to turn this invasive algae into a useful resource in developing countries, such as for energy, construction, and agriculture. The research question posed in this project is: What are the potential economic and environmental implications of using Sargassum as a resource in Belize? This project combines field observations with a scientific literature review focusing on information from other countries to assess 1) the economic and environmental impact that Sargassum is having now, and can potentially have in the future, on Belize and 2) the potential economic and environmental benefits for utilizing Sargassum as a resource. ScienceDirect and Google Scholar were used to find relevant articles that allowed comparisons to be drawn between work conducted in other developing countries and Belize. Through this work, it was found that Sargassum already significantly affects Belize’s economy, primarily by harming its tourism industry and requiring up to 1,000 tons of it to be hauled to landfills daily. Yet, there is great potential for long-term solutions to be economically beneficial while also improving conditions for organisms in shallow areas trying to compete with the buildup of Sargassum.