The Government is also considering international support to implement satellite monitoring and permanent coastal barriers.
SANTO DOMINGO, RD - In response to the persistent and large volume of sargassum affecting Dominican coasts, the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources has activated a national operation against sargassum, beginning with intensive actions in the eastern region of the country, where the main tourist investments of the Dominican Republic are concentrated.
The operation is supported by Resolution No. 0046-2025, which establishes strict guidelines for the collection, disposal, and treatment of sargassum at the national level. Technical teams from various vice-ministries have already begun inspections at hotels from Uvero Alto to Cabeza de Toro.
El Inmobiliario published an extensive report last Saturday, July 12, detailing the impact of the large sargassum seaweed influx during 2025, when summer is just beginning, and the Spanish press agency EFE issued a similar publication on July 15 that was replicated in several national media outlets.
A statement from the Ministry of Environment reports that the Vice Minister of Coastal and Marine Resources, José Ramón Reyes, personally delivered the temporary permits for the cleanup of the coastline last Friday, July 11, in a dialogue with the hotel authorities of the area. He warned that the entity will closely monitor the situation and that any environmental impact will be the direct responsibility of the promoters. Severe sanctions will be applied if any hotel is found to be carrying out unauthorized actions or endangering coastal ecosystems.
The government is also considering international support to implement satellite monitoring and permanent coastal barriers to improve the response to new waves of sargassum,
as part of a more sustainable approach.
Punta Cana alone is the most important tourist destination in the country and the insular Caribbean, concentrating more than 60% of the country's hotel rooms, operated by major international chains such as Grupo Piñero, Meliá, Barceló, RIU, and AMResorts. Furthermore, Punta Cana International Airport has the highest tourist traffic in the country, even surpassing Las Américas International Airport.
According to the Central Bank of the Dominican Republic, over 70% of tourism revenue comes directly or indirectly from activities linked to this region. Therefore, the Ministry's operation is initially focused on this area, where a significant portion of the national economy is at stake, and where effective and vigilant environmental management of sargassum is urgently needed.
The operation not only aims to keep the beaches clean, which are vital to the Dominican economy (tourism represents 19% of GDP), but also to strengthen visitor confidence and ensure that hoteliers comply with environmental standards without engaging in any unethical practices during the cleanup process.
