Sargasso University Network meets to consolidate research initiatives on problems

SANTO DOMINGO. - The Sargasso University Network in the Dominican Republic se met with the objective of consolidate coordinated research initiatives that contribute solution to sargassum problem en Dominican Republic, even in other countries of the Caribbean region.

The meeting took place a few weeks after President Luis Abinader announced that the government will donate a million dollars to universities to investigate the sargassum problem.  

Representatives of the Instituto Tecnológico de Santo Domingo (INTEC); the APEC University (UNAPEC); the Federico Henriquez and Carvajal University (UFHEC), the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo (UASD), the Ibeoamerican University (UNIBE), the Pontificia Universidad Católica Madre y Maestra (PUCMM), the National University Pedro Henríquez Ureña (UNPHU), the ISA University (UNISA) and the Catholic University of Cibao (UCATECI).

During the meeting it was determined that the investigations will address the axes of impact on biodiversity, and social impact, monitoring and prediction; standardized raw material and applications. The joint proposals could be delivered no later than June to begin executing the fund provided by the Government before the end of 2023.

El 88% of the linear perimeter of the Caribbean Sea is under attack by sargassum, a situation that affects the coasts of all the countries that make up this region. Record figures for the arrival of sargassum are expected this year, since up to February of this year around 30 million tons had been produced.

The Sargassum University Network was born in January of this year after the signing of a specific inter-institutional collaboration agreement for the research, management and treatment of sargassum in the Dominican Republic, through the development of projects that are subsidized by public sector institutions and the private sector.