The town of Le François is one of the areas most affected by the Sargassum bloom along the Atlantic coast. With a highly diverse and rugged coastline, solutions to combat this scourge are difficult to find and implement. At the same time, it is in this town that the only solution for recycling the seaweed through composting was developed by the company Holdex. We wanted to hear the perspective of the mayor of this affected town, Joseph Loza.
- Martinique 2030: Following the massive influx of Sargassum seaweed along the coast of Le François, what assessment do you make of the situation for the town? What are the consequences of this problem, and what are the prospects for the future?
Joseph Loza: We’ve had several major shipments arrive recently. The very next day after the severe weather on Monday, April 16, I made a field tour to assess the damage and then flew by helicopter over the entire city. At the end of the flight, I asked the pilot to fly over the sea. There, I discovered a floating mass of Sargassum seaweed heading toward Martinique. I then told the sub-prefect of Le Marin, Ms. Corine Blanchot Prosper, who was with me, that this mass of seaweed would wash ashore directly at Le François. We received part of it, and I believe the rest washed up on the shores of neighboring municipalities.
But to answer your question, for two years we didn’t have many incidents involving Sargassum. I thought we wouldn’t see any for a long time, but this year they’ve made it clear that they’re here—and very much so.
When you know where Sargassum seaweed comes from, it really makes you think. That’s because several studies now provide a better understanding of the phenomenon. We don’t know everything yet, but we can say that Sargassum seaweed originates in Brazil, at the mouth of the Amazon River. The nutrients carried by the Amazon—notably nitrates and phosphates—help nourish the sargassum. These floating brown algae are carried toward the Caribbean Arc by ocean currents. These currents have also changed as a result of nature reminding us that we have damaged it too much, and that climate change is very much a reality. This sargassum and the changing currents make it clear that climate change affects us all!
In terms of the overall picture, the coastline around Le François is not like that of the rest of southern Martinique. In Le Diamant or Sainte-Luce, there are beaches. In Le François, we have thirty-seven kilometers of rugged coastline. We have a lot of mangroves, a lot of bays, and many inlets with dense vegetation… We also have inlets, such as the Monnerot inlet, where it’s very difficult to combat this algae. It’s also very difficult to remove Sargassum algae from the mangroves. Throughout the entire coastal zone, we have numerous communities—across all socioeconomic groups—living there.
It’s worth noting that we have a department within the City that deals with this issue, among other things, year-round—I’m referring to the Department of Urban Planning, Land Use, and the Environment. These officials, both on land and at sea, are thoroughly familiar with all the stranding sites. What I mean is that we take this problem very seriously!
I would like to remind you that the coast of Le François is also inhabited. Together with the Regional Health Agency and other government agencies, we have long been working to ensure that measures are in place to detect emissions of sulfur gases, such as H2S. As a result, detectors have been installed in areas such as the Frégate and Presqu’île neighborhoods. These devices are closely and directly linked to the ARS, and I recently requested that new detectors be installed in other coastal neighborhoods. These sensors allow us to immediately detect any exceedance of the threshold. This is a preventive measure, as residents are warned that they will be required to evacuate if the threshold limits are exceeded. However, this preventive measure applies to the approximately eight major identified gas seepage sites that are also inhabited. I am ensuring that these recommended measures are the same for all affected communities. I also have a duty to help them cope with this scourge!
- M 2030: What is your vision for addressing the challenge of climate change in the town of Le François?
Joseph Loza: We are feeling the full impact of climate change here in Le François. Not only because of the Sargassum algae, but also because the floods on Monday, April 16, show us that things are happening today that we didn’t experience before—and that we must face them head-on.
As far back as anyone can remember, we had never experienced hailstorms. We now realize that there are phenomena we have never seen before. You must have heard the news that grass is growing in the Sahara Desert, as well as in other deserts. We’re hearing reports from all over the world—on land and under the sea—that many new and previously unknown phenomena are appearing.
Right in the middle of April, we’re seeing hailstones in Le François. We’ve experienced this before—the cloud that formed and lingered over the town. It’s not the first time. But the combination of the cloud lingering exclusively over Le François and the hailstones—and especially the amount of rain that fell in just one hour—is unprecedented! On top of that, the tide was coming in. We’re realizing that new phenomena are emerging and that, in the months and years to come, we must expect to face reactions from nature that we couldn’t even have imagined.
- M 2030: Do you think coastal erosion plays a role in this?
Joseph Loza: Climate change is linked to the fact that the ocean is responding to this climate change. We already know that sea-level rise is already visible. Sea-level rise means the submergence of coastlines that, once again, we were not aware of until now. As a result, in Le François—as in other municipalities in Martinique—we will see coastlines that are submerged to a greater extent than before. We will see water encroaching inland in ways we have never observed before. Professor Pascal Saffache has published a map showing inundation caused solely by rising sea levels. It’s clear that areas in Le François that are not currently affected will be submerged in a few years. And we’re not even talking yet about tsunamis or other storms…
- M 2030: What actions can you take to protect people and the environment, and with what resources?
Joseph Loza: Regarding H2S emissions, we have installed detectors in collaboration with state agencies. But my answer to this question is that the state must ensure that this Sargassum seaweed is collected before it reaches the coast. Because dealing with this algae once it washes ashore is very complicated. Logically, we should stop the Sargassum drifts out at sea.
Local governments do not have the resources to collect Sargassum seaweed at sea. I would like to point out, however, that since 2015 we have removed dozens of metric tons of Sargassum from our shores. While we have received various forms of assistance, this still places a heavy burden on the municipal budget.
- M 2030: What do we do in the meantime about the algae that are coming?
Joseph Loza: It’s a matter of making do with the resources we have. The government is conducting a study on a mechanical device, and floating barriers are being considered, among other measures. But the funds allocated to remove the Sargassum may not be sufficient. For now, the government seems to be tackling the problem head-on. Recently, the sub-prefect of Le Marin proposed the implementation of a municipal Sargassum action plan. The goal is to address the eight most critical areas; she has decided to prioritize Frégate Est 2, where exposure levels are consistently high. This is a public health issue that I fully support. And based on my proposal, we will create a right-of-way along the coast to improve access to the sea and allow machinery to operate. To this end, local residents have agreed to sign an agreement with the government, which will now be able to enter their private properties and occupy a 4-meter-wide strip of their land along the shoreline to carry out the work. However, I have asked the subprefect to ensure that all affected areas along the coastline are addressed with the same level of efficiency, as I am committed to ensuring that the entire population, without exception, is treated equally. The government will cover 80% of the cost of the work to be carried out. Finally, the main priority is to inform our communities about the arrival of algae and to continue with preventive measures. The most important recommendation is to move away from the coast as soon as you feel genuinely bothered by the odors. It all depends on the individual; everyone reacts differently.
- Antilla: How can we look on the bright side and turn sargassum into a resource?
Joseph Loza: When the Sargassum first began to wash ashore, people thought it was like the “wawèt” we used to know—the seaweed collected along the beach that was used as fertilizer in the fields, especially for lemon trees. This «kelp» kept aphids—or “pichon,” as we call them—away. But studies show that Sargassum seaweed contains not only salt but also heavy metals. We mustn’t forget that Sargassum contains arsenic. This seaweed cannot be spread on farmland. We risk poisoning our soil.
That said, here in Le François, we have a company called Holdex Environnement that produces compost from fresh seaweed. This company may have methods for incorporating Sargassum seaweed into the compost it produces. I won’t go into further detail because I don’t yet know if this company has pursued this avenue. I just want to point out that private individuals cannot simply spread Sargassum seaweed on their property without risking contaminating it. Here again, caution is key, and you can count on me!
Interview conducted by Nathalie Laulé via email
