A senior Caribbean environmental advisor is urging stronger regional cooperation to tackle the ongoing sargassum seaweed invasion, which continues to threaten coastlines, marine life, and tourism across the region — including in Antigua and Barbuda.

Edgar Hunter, Senior Technical Advisor in Dominica’s Ministry of the Environment, made the appeal at the Caribbean Environmental and Technical Research Initiative (CETRI) Workshop in Dominica.

“There’s no quick fix to the sargassum problem,” he told _Starcom Network News_. “But if CARICOM member states, including Antigua and Barbuda, come together, we can better manage its impacts through shared resources, research, and coordinated action.”

Sargassum blooms have increasingly affected areas such as Willikies, Indian Creek, and Barbuda’s eastern shores. The seaweed poses environmental risks and disrupts key economic sectors, including fishing and tourism.

While cleanup efforts and projects to repurpose the seaweed are under way, Hunter warned that local responses alone are insufficient.

“A regional approach means we can develop early warning systems, share best practices, and explore economic uses on a larger scale,” he said.

His remarks reflect wider calls at the CETRI Workshop for greater environmental collaboration across CARICOM, especially as climate change fuels more frequent and severe ecological challenges.