Sargassum Management Internship

The Sargassum Management internship offers an applied research opportunity to identify and evaluate potential management options for Sint Maarten’s growing sargassum crisis. While pelagic sargassum plays an important role in the open ocean ecosystem, its massive seasonal landings on Caribbean shores have become a major hazard to local economies and environments. On Sint Maarten, recurring landings overwhelm beaches producing strong odors, economic losses and health concerns for coastal residents. At the same time, removal and disposal remain logistically and financially difficult and often risk damaging sensitive ecosystems such as sea turtle nesting beaches, seagrass beds and nearshore reefs.

Working under the supervision of the Nature Foundation team, the intern will focus on researching, analyzing and adapting global best practices for local use. This includes reviewing management strategies from across the region. The intern will conduct feasibility analyses to assess environmental, social and economic trade-offs of each option and will engage directly with local stakeholders to understand challenges and opportunities for implementation.

The outcomes of this internship will directly support the drafting of any sargassum response plan or report for the island, ensuring that strategies are both evidence-based and suited to the island’s specific context. In addition to this core focus, the intern will also contribute to the Nature Foundation’s broader activities, gaining firsthand experience in the multidisciplinary nature of conservation work on a small island.