Abstract

Sargassum, though commonly called a seaweed, is a macroalgae originating in the mid-Atlantic that affects Caribbean coastlines, generating an environmental, economic, and social crisis as it washes up on shores. This article aims to highlight the complexity of the issue and the need to address it in a multidisciplinary way. To best address this issue, a collaboration between academia, government, industry, and society is needed. To support industry efforts, this article highlights various studied uses for the seaweed, including its use as an ingredient in fertilizers, cosmetics, and as a source for terpenes, which can be used in the creation of various synthetic polymers. In this sense, the sargassum problem could be converted into a source of valuable resources. However, the constant arrival of sargassum to beaches has negatively affected local economies as it can make an area undesirable for tourism. Due to the large scale of the issue, it can be hard to mitigate. In the Dominican Republic and Mexico, for example, the governments developed monitoring systems to help prepare early responses to the problem. This paper aims to present an initial framework that can be used in future research when addressing the issue of Sargassum in the Caribbean, broadly covering most of the problems it causes, government and non-government management solutions, and possible uses that are being developed for how to deal with it.