THE CHALLENGE

Sargassum blooms are increasingly disrupting marine ecosystems and coastal communities across the Caribbean — posing a growing challenge for fishing communities, the tourism sector, and coastal ecosystems alike. While the algae presents a serious problem, it also holds potential as a raw material for products such as fertilizer, paper, and ink.

OUR APPROACH

With support from a National Geographic Society grant, PamLab worked with an international team of National Geographic Explorers to implement community-led strategies to repurpose sargassum. We interviewed key stakeholders in Puerto Rico and Colombia — including fishing groups, coastal residents, business owners, researchers, environmental NGOs, and government officials — to understand the scope of the problem and identify opportunities. We then facilitated co-creation sessions with community and fishing groups in Punta Santiago (Humacao, Puerto Rico) and on the island of Providencia (Colombia), designing affordable technologies to more easily collect, process, and transform the algae into useful products.

WHAT WE BUILT

The project culminated in the co-design and construction of a low-cost floating barrier built with local fishermen in Providencia, using locally available materials and bringing their design to life.