SANTO DOMINGO- The president of the Dominican Association of Universities (ADOU), Wady Ramírez, pointed out that the lack of funding is the main obstacle for the country's universities to advance in research to address the "devastating" effects of sargassum on Dominican coasts, with repercussions for tourism, fishing, and the environment.
“The country’s universities must work on innovative solutions to address the effects of this problem that affects our economy and the environment,” stated the rector of the Eugenio María de Hostos University (Uniremhos).
He advocated for the public and private sectors to join forces to solve this problem, "which has direct repercussions on the quality of life of many Dominican families.".
He added that "scientific research is fundamental to better understanding the sargassum phenomenon and developing technologies and methods that allow us to manage its impact more effectively.".
"Sargassum is not only an environmental problem, but it also has direct repercussions on our economy and the quality of life of many Dominican families," the academic said.
The president of ADOU noted that the most recent sargassum forecast bulletin, issued by the Optical Oceanography Laboratory of the University of South Florida (USF), reported a significant increase in the amount of sargassum in the Atlantic, the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico during the month of May.
According to that report, the amount of sargassum reaches 10 million metric tons, with a particularly notable increase of 1.9 million tons in the Western Atlantic, as well as a 400% increase in the Western Caribbean Sea.
"These figures underscore the importance of addressing this environmental challenge urgently," he said.
“It is imperative that we act now to mitigate its effects and find sustainable long-term solutions,” Remírez stated.
