BDF In Fight Against Sargassum

BDF Media Release| 28 May 2020

Photography credit: BDF Media

The Barbados Defence Force demonstrated and tested the capacity of the Sargassum Seaweed Harvester (SWH) at Consett Bay St John.

Minister of Maritime Affairs and the Blue Ecomony (MMABE), the Honourable Kirk Humphrey noted that he was pleased with this morning’s capacity demonstration of the SWH to date, and that the MMABE intends to use this evaluation to increase the seaweed harvesting assets, so that it is more time efficient when harvesting and to analyze which beaches are of higher priority.

Consett Bay was selected due its strong tidal conditions and as there is a great collection of seaweed present. It also features a slipway which facilitates the deploying the SWH into the water.

This demonstration also served to assist and further develop the current strategy to fight the influx of seaweed to the island’s shores. The MMABE is now in a better position to determine what further assets and infrastructure need to be obtained

The Seaweed Harvester was operated by Coasties Leading Seaman Nichelas Chalery and Ordinary Seaman Andre McClean