After collecting 14,000 tonnes in 2024, Saint-Martin is doubling its budget to fight against sargassum seaweed. 14,000 tons... That's the volume of sargassum seaweed collected last year in Saint-Martin... A particularity this year is that the strandings, while not always massive, are continuous. The Collectivity is refining its efforts to combat the brown algae. Among the actions under consideration is a temporary evacuation plan in case of strong gas emissions.
Sargassum seaweed is primarily affecting the east coast of Saint Martin. In Cul-de-Sac, the first strandings were observed as early as April, nearly five months earlier than usual. The volume of brown algae is significant, although no massive influx has yet been recorded.
The algae collected from five different sites are transferred directly to a storage area, which had already received 14,000 tonnes last year.
This way of working, combined with a notable resurgence of sargassum, has led to a doubling of the allocated budget, from 1.2 to 2.4 million euros.
After a long period of deliberation, the decision to install deflecting nets to protect the coastline has been finalized. However, the 400 linear meters initially planned are no longer sufficient.
Nine hundred meters of barriers would be needed to effectively protect Cul-de-Sac Bay, as well as the mouth of the pond aux Poissons, in order to prevent sargassum rafts from infiltrating there ,explains Igor Rambotte, director of the environment for the community of Saint-Martin.
The analysis of the bids is currently underway.» A tender commission should meet by the end of June. This will allow us, as a community, to launch the deployment of these dams by the end of 2025 or the beginning of 2026 ,he adds.
In parallel, surveillance cameras and toxic emission sensors are planned to allow for a real-time response. But the local authority, with the support of the state, is also anticipating an extreme scenario: one in which residents would be exposed for several days to a level of toxic gas exceeding health thresholds, due to the decomposition of sargassum seaweed.
 » We are working on developing a roadmap that could be triggered if these thresholds are exceeded, so that the population can benefit from temporary safe places while the emissions are absorbed ,explains Igor Rambotte.
Saint-Martin is now considered a model for sargassum management in the Caribbean. However, residents of the affected areas still have to contend with particularly unpleasant odors for much of the year.
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