Abstract

In recent years, massive quantities of pelagic Sargassum have come ashore in the Caribbean, impacting shorelines and beaches, waterways, fisheries and tourism. The response to the sargassum influx has often been a knee-jerk reaction - unco-ordinated and not always environmentally sustainable. Bad choices that are made in responding to sargassum place at risk the very resources upon which tourism depends – poor beach cleaning practices cause the loss of sandy beaches, worsened coastal erosion, the destruction of sea turtle and sea bird nests. In 2018, we developed a reference poster with practical guidance for coastal zone managers, conservationists and the owners, managers and staff of beach-front hotels, resorts and coastal properties to assist them with responding to the Sargassum influx. Designed in a graphic format to promote clarity of communications and ease of reference, the poster provides sound guidance on best practices for removing sargassum while protecting the coastal zone, its associated habitats and fauna, and avoiding detrimental impacts on the marine envi-ronment and coastal communities. A collaboration with Caribbean-based design team Deviate Design, the poster represents an innovative communications approach to an emerging marine and coastal issue affecting the Gulf and Caribbean region. Practical lessons were learned about the most effective communications formats to increase the reach of environmental messaging and to build uptake of best coastal zone management practices in the era of social media.

PDF Preview