Joint call for projects "Research, development and innovation" SARGASSES
In recent years, the coastal regions of the Caribbean Sea, and the Gulf of Mexico are facing massive and uncontrolled development of sargasso algae. These strandings tend to be long-term and become a recurring phenomenon. It is important to move beyond emergency response and look to the long term to address health, economic and environmental risks.
In this context, and in consultation with the State services, the National Research Agency and several regional and international structures, such as ADEME, the local authorities of Guadeloupe, Martinique and French Guiana, as well as the Brazilian agencies FAPESP and FACEPE) are mobilising to launch a call for "research, development and innovation" projects on the problem of sargasso seaweed stranding. This "SARGASSUM" call will focus on four themes.
- Sargasso characterization: Physiology, genetics, biochemistry, morphology, demography
- Forecasting the formation of sargasso banks and trajectories at sea and in the near shore
- Collection techniques at sea and on land and innovative treatment and recovery processes
- Economic, health and environmental impacts and management and adaptation strategies
The objective of this call for projects is to provide pragmatic solutions to the stranding of sargasso and to increase knowledge on this phenomenon, which particularly affects the islands of the Caribbean basin. This joint initiative, the first of its kind in terms of the scope of the scientific and economic community it targets, should make it possible to create a community of knowledge and reference expertise on the subject of sargasso.