“Large hotel chains must support these efforts. This is a time for unity. The State cannot bear the entire burden alone; the private sector must also join in the search for solutions,” stated Senator Ginette Bournigal
SANTO DOMINGO. – With the massive presence of sargassum on the Dominican coasts, the debate on new tools to deal with the arrival of the macroalga is reopened in the country, at a time when scientists from the Optical Oceanography Laboratory of the University of South Florida (USF) warn that 2026 could become a record year for this phenomenon.
In its most recent bulletin, published on May 31, the agency reported 28.9 million metric tons of sargassum in the central-western Atlantic, 13.8 million in the Caribbean Sea, and 6.6 million in the Gulf of Mexico—unprecedented levels for the month of May in most of the monitored areas. Researchers noted that the concentrations observed this year exceed historical records and anticipate that accumulations will continue to increase throughout the summer.
INTEC's satellites and the senator's voice
The QuisqueyaSat-1 satellite project, developed by researchers from the Technological Institute of Santo Domingo (INTEC) to monitor and predict the arrival of sargassum, is gaining momentum at a time when coastal communities are reporting influxes and the State is investing in palliative measures, such as collection equipment and final disposal plans for the waste brought by the sea.
In that context, Senator Ginette Bournigal, representing Puerto Plata and president of the Senate's Permanent Tourism Commission, declared that QuisqueyaSat-1 is a valuable initiative for the country, and she is confident that the State will provide greater support for the initiative, as part of its economic priorities.
The legislator expressed confidence that the scientific proposal will receive support when circumstances allow and highlighted the government's investments in addressing the impact of sargassum in various tourist areas. “I am sure it will be given the opportunity. It is a valuable initiative, but we must also understand that the country is going through important economic and fiscal discussions that require attention,” she stated.
What scientists say
The most recent data from the Optical Oceanography Laboratory at the University of South Florida (USF) indicate that April and May of 2026 marked record levels of sargassum in the tropical Atlantic and Caribbean, exceeding historical values observed between 2011 and 2025.
Researchers warn that the biomass recorded this year exceeds historical levels by more than 75% and that the phenomenon maintains a sustained growth trend.
International monitoring systems warn that 2026 could become the most severe year for sargassum in the entire region, and according to USF, in April nearly 28.7 million tons of floating biomass were counted in the monitored areas, with an expansion that covers virtually the entire Caribbean.
The QuisqueyaSat-1 project seeks precisely to improve the ability to anticipate this phenomenon, with the launch of the first Dominican nanosatellite to detect concentrations of sargassum through satellite images and artificial intelligence, allowing estimation of movements and generation of early warnings for the Dominican coasts.
Senator Bournigal also argued that the response to the problem must involve both the public and private sectors, especially hotel chains that depend on the environmental quality of the beaches.
“Large hotel chains must support these efforts. This is a time for unity. The State cannot bear the entire burden alone; the private sector must also join in the search for solutions,” he stated.
And their warning aligns with scientific forecasts predicting a particularly intense season during the summer months. Researchers at the University of South Florida have indicated that the early proliferation observed this year increases the likelihood of massive strandings on the coasts of the Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico in the coming months.
The QuisqueyaSat-1 is led by astronautical engineer Edwin Sánchez and is part of the efforts to develop national space capabilities focused on environmental management.
Its promoters argue that the information generated would allow for improved tourism planning, reduced response costs, and strengthened mitigation strategies in the face of one of the main environmental challenges facing the region.
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