A National Sargassum Task Force to Coordinate Sargassum Management in Trinidad and Tobago has been appointed.
Members received their instruments of appointment from Planning and Development Minister Pennelope Beckles on Thursday.
A release from her ministry stated the government’s plans to deal with the threat of sargassum seaweed in Trinidad and Tobago through the establishment of a task force.
Beckles said that in order to deal with this problem, Cabinet agreed to measures that explore the development of sustainable management responses and long-term adaptation initiatives.
One such initiative is the regional Japanese grant funded project, Improving National Sargassum Management Capacities in the Caribbean.
This is being implemented in Barbados, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines and Trinidad and Tobago, the release stated.
Of the regional envelope of US$12 million allocated for the project, Trinidad and Tobago has been awarded US $1.99 million, it stated.
Since 2011, coastlines along many islands of the Caribbean have been affected by unprecedented, massive, episodic influxes of floating sargassum seaweed.
Since then, this has had significant negative impacts, particularly on coastal communities and livelihoods, public health, tourism and fisheries.
According to the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP), this new source of sargassum is likely linked to broader underlying issues like climate change and ocean eutrophication, which are likely to continue supporting significant sargassum blooms into the future.
In light of the sargassum challenge to local shores and the opportunities provided by this regional project, the Ministry of Planning and Development proposed the appointment of the National Sargassum Task Force to direct the sargassum management response nationally and to subsume coordination responsibilities under the regional project.
The United Nations Development Programme, UNDP Trinidad and Tobago Office, with the direction of the Institute of Marine Affairs (IMA), which is part of the Ministry of Planning and Development, has responsibility for making recommendations and providing oversight for the project’s implementation nationally.
Dr Rahanna Juman, Deputy Director of Research of the IMA, chairs the task force.
The other members are:
- Marcia Tinto of the EMA;
- Ricardo Mieux, Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries;
- Renelle Bernard Brown, Ministry of Works and Transport;
- Curmira Gulston, Ministry of National Security;
- Linford Beckles, Tobago House of Assembly (THA);
- Suzan Lakhan-Baptiste, Nature Seekers;
- Dr Ryan Mohammed, Aquatic Ecologist; and
- Barry Lovelace, Council of Presidents of the Environment
Beckles urged members of the Task Force to find measures to encourage meaningful collaboration and communication among key stakeholders at all levels and throughout the process, from early warning to public education and awareness.
Additionally, the National Sargassum Task Force will provide oversight over the development of a research and monitoring agenda that can facilitate improvement in managing the impacts of future occurrences of this natural disaster while informing the handling, disposal, storage, and development of safe Sargassum products, which can also provide economic benefits to Trinidad and Tobago.
