Sargassum challenges and job opportunities

Published on October 20, 2025

For over a decade, extensive sargassum seaweed blooms have affected Caribbean coasts, disrupting fisheries, tourism, and local communities and causing multi-million dollar damage.

Through the European Union’s (EU) Global Gateway Investment Agenda, the EU, Team Europe and Caribbean partners are working to turn this challenge into cleaner coastlines, new employment opportunities, and a boost for local business ventures.

The third EU-Caribbean Global Gateway Conference on Sargassum, which took place recently, marks a shift from studies and pilot projects to real action.

At the conference, Grenada, the Dominican Republic, and Mexico pledged to collect and process at least 660,000 tonnes of sargassum between 2026 and 2027:

Grenada: 10,000 tonnes, Dominican Republic: 150,000 tonnes and Mexico: 500,000 tonnes.

This announcement is the first step towards a regional market for sargassum-based products, backed by EU support to mobilise investment and ensure the right policy frameworks are in place.