1 Laboratory of Plant Biology and Earth Sciences, Faculty of Science and Technology, Alassane Ouattara University, BPV 18 Bouaké 01, (Côte d’Ivoire).
2 Laboratory of Natural Environments and Biodiversity Conservation, Faculty of Biosciences, Félix HOUPHOUËT-BOIGNY University, 22 BP 582 Abidjan 22 (Côte d’Ivoire).
3 Faculty of Natural Sciences, Nangui Abrogoua University, (225) 02 BP 801 Abidjan 02 (Côte d’Ivoire).
4 Laboratory for Agricultural Production Improvement, Faculty of Agroforestry, Jean Lorougnon Guédé University, BP 150 Daloa, Côte d’Ivoire.
5 National Center for Floristics (CNF), Biosciences Department, Félix Houphouët-Boigny University, Côte d’Ivoire, Abidjan, 01 BP 1303 Abidjan 03 (Côte d’Ivoire).
World Journal of Advanced Research and Reviews, 2025, 28(02), 016–022
Article DOI: 10.30574/wjarr.2025.28.2.3665
Received on 16 August 2025; revised on 30 October 2025; accepted on 01 November 2025
The Sargassum seaweed that washes up on Ivory Coast beaches consists of two species: Sargassum fluitans and Sargassum natans. These strandings pollute the beaches and have a negative impact on the socioeconomic activities of local communities. The overall objective of this study is to assess the impact of sargassum seaweed strandings on the economic activities of local communities, as well as their interest in these activities. To this end, an ethnobotanical and socioeconomic survey was conducted among tourists, anti-pollution associations, and relevant economic operators. The survey interviewed 340 people. 57.92% of economic operators considered that Sargassum seaweed poses a threat to their activities. Fishing is the most affected activity, with more than 50% of annual turnover lost, and no use is made of this seaweed. At the end of this study, the results reveal that Sargassum seaweed disrupts socio-economic activities and is of no interest to local communities.
Socioeconomic impacts; Marine pollution; Invasive algae; Sargassum seaweed; Ethnobotanical survey
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Aboubacar OUATTARA, Koffi Stéphane DOH, Sié Fernand Pacôme OUATTARA, Mamidou Witabouna KONE and Djakalia OUATTARA. Assessment of the socioeconomic impact of the invasion of Ivorian beaches by Sargassum algae based on an ethnobotanical study. World Journal of Advanced Research and Reviews, 2025, 28(02), 016–022. Article DOI: https://doi.org/10.30574/wjarr.2025.28.2.3665.
Copyright © 2025 Author(s) retain the copyright of this article. This article is published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Liscense 4.0