SANTO DOMINGO. – The Dominican response to sargassum is entering a new phase, where scientific research, technological innovation and application on the ground are beginning to converge.
The work of the Technological Institute of Santo Domingo (INTEC), and the Puntacana Group Foundation shows that the country is not only seeking to mitigate the impact of sargassum, but to integrate it into a productive logic.
In this transition, the phenomenon ceases to be exclusively an environmental problem and becomes a structural challenge with economic, industrial, and real estate implications.
In addition, the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology (MESCyT) has allocated resources for research, with allocations reaching RD$85 million in 2025 for studies on sargassum.
These funds reflect a change in focus: from cleaning as an expense to research as an investment.
Towards a public policy
The advancement of academic research and experimentation in the field is beginning to be integrated into Dominican public policy.
In 2025, the Government, in coordination with the European Union, established a working group for the valorization of sargassum, with specific utilization goals:
• Collection of 50,000 metric tons, equivalent to 5% of the sargassum projected for 2026
• Increase to 100,000 metric tons by 2027
This effort seeks to bring together universities, the private sector, public institutions, and international cooperation with the goal of developing a sargassum value chain in the Dominican Republic.
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