Aruba needs a permanent, year-round approach to sargassum instead of relying only on emergency cleanups, parliamentarian Otami Thomasia has argued.
Proposal combines monitoring and clear responsibilities
According to ArubaNews.ca, Thomasia called for continuous coastal monitoring, early-warning systems, safe collection and handling protocols, research, technology and clearly assigned responsibility for each part of the response.
He sent parliamentary questions to Nature Minister Mike Eman and Tourism Minister Wendrick Cicilia seeking information about current measures, financing, regional cooperation and whether Aruba already has a national sargassum plan.
Recurring influx affects ecosystems and communities
Large sargassum arrivals can affect fishing, biodiversity, public health, tourism and government budgets. Thomasia said planning should happen before seaweed reaches the coast so agencies and communities can respond safely and consistently.
Regional cooperation must lead to local readiness
The proposal follows reports of unusually large sargassum volumes across the Caribbean in 2026. Thomasia also pointed to regional and international work supporting stronger cooperation, research, operations, communication and financing.
Any effort to turn collected sargassum into a useful product should be based on scientific evidence and include environmental and health safeguards, he said. The proposal is a call for action; the source report did not say that a permanent national plan has been adopted.
Source: ArubaNews.ca – MP Calls for Permanent Aruba Sargassum Plan.