It starts in April and finishes in October. No purchase necessary. The phenomenon has broken records this year and has become one of the great environmental concerns of the coastal areas of the region. The sargassum weve dealt with since 2011 is not the sargassum of long-timer memories. Attempts to use sargassum as fertilizer, food, biofuel, construction material or medicinal products continue, but many Caribbean islands are unable to remove the vast amounts of the seaweed because they are struggling financially and have limited resources. When it's bad, it's awful. Required fields are marked *. . We'll send you an occasional update on the best from KWIN and our contributors, let you know when we add new features and content -- and we don't share your contact info. Mexico : Norma Muoz: La gente no est informada de los efectos del sargazo, dice que las afectaciones las mand Dios, Mexico : EL SARGAZO NO SE CONVIERTE EN ARENA, France : Bilan du BRGM : les taux mesurs en arsenic et en chlorure de sodium dpassent les normes imposes, Sargassum is worsening the conditions of the poorest people in Ghana, Un mystre aux proportions ocaniques : des algues sargasses forment dsormais un pont vgtal entre lAmrique et lAfrique, Republica Dominicana : Sargazo llega hasta las costas de Saman afectando las aguas del mar, Mexico : Sargazo, amenaza para el turismo y la salud, Mexico: On Mexicos Caribbean coast, mountains of seaweed grow, Florida USA : Invasion of the seaweed. An overabundance of sargassum was blamed for the recent deaths of thousands of fish at the French Caribbean island of Martinique. The biologist explains, it arrived in the Gulf of Mexico long before, but not in such high volumes.. This topic has been closed to new posts due to inactivity. ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-110369316', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');Bahamas? October Travels Jun 18, 2022. Punta Cana SEAWEED Problem (2022): Everything You Need To Know!! aot 2, 2022 An eye-opening journey through the history, culture, and places of the culinary world. While documenting it, some of those explorers feared that their ships would get stuck in that brown tide. Why is it produced, and where does it come from? During June 26-29, 2022, the representatives of CRFM and PFR visited two (2) private sector companies, one which makes liquid fertiliser and soil enhancer from Sargassum, and the other which manufactures construction supplies from Sargassum. In the Cayman Islands, a thick carpet of sargassum had prompted officials to launch a trial program in which crews pumped more than 2,880 square feet (268 square meters) of seaweed out of the. Got something to say? * Do not embed this map in a website or a blog without permission from Sargassum Monitoring. Heck, even Christopher Columbus wrote about seeing it floating in the Atlantics Sargasso Sea (hence, the name). Yet another problem, says the UNAM specialist, is the poor disposal of sargassum, which ends up becoming a pollutant. UX, SEO, and Digital Content Wizard at Traveling Lifestyle. Such are the cycles of nature. But when thick mats wash ashore, things get foul. A record amount of seaweed is smothering Caribbean coasts from Puerto Rico to Barbados. I think you were wise to have asked this question. This is the version of our website addressed to speakers of English in the United States. Sargassum at Yabucoa beach, in Puerto Rico, last august. It also has activists concerned about the plight of endangered turtles, with some dying at sea entangled in seaweed or unable to lay their eggs given the mat of algae covering the sand. Long Beach is covered with sargassum in Crest Church parish along the south coast of Barbados on July 27. Don't let sargassum ruin your beach day! Belize : SPTC tackling the Sargassum issue with a new response plan, 18/02/2023 NASA-USF & SIMAR-SATsum-Conabio Sargassum Seaweed Bulletin, 11/02/2023 NASA-USF & SIMAR-SATsum-Conabio Sargassum Seaweed Bulletin, Martinique : Sargasses, le littoral mconnaissable du Vauclin, 05/02/2023 Sargassum seaweed Satellite views. MARTINIQUE : Les poissons dlevage sont bien morts cause des sargasses, BONAIRE: Sargassum Fertilizer Transfers Heavy Metals to Vegetables, MEXICO: Mexican Navy Admit Failure In Stopping Sargassum Deposits In Cancun, Mexico News : Cancun, Playa del Carmen and Tulum Being Overrun By Seaweed, Mexico : Cancun Braces For Worst Sargassum Seaweed Season In Five Years, Guadeloupe : Guadeloupe : Les sargasses saccumulent, les nuisances olfactives et visuelles reviennent, Mexico Riviera Maya : ADVIERTEN OPACIDAD EN EL TEMA DE DISPOSICIN Y MANEJO DEL SARGAZO, Mexico Riviera Maya : El sargazo se adelanta y pega con ms intensidad, Mexico : Sin recursos ni personal suficiente para contener el sargazo; an desatendidas, enormes extensiones en las costas del Caribe mexicano. Although sargassum serves as a healthy ecosystem for marine species in the Sargasso Sea, its emigration towards the Caribbeandue to rising ocean temperatures and changes in . 1. If history holds, much of it will be gone as the winds and tides change, which they will as we get deeper into fall and winter. our team is independent. Members who are knowledgeable about this destination and volunteer their time to answer travelers' questions. Mexico : Norma Muoz: La gente no est informada de los efectos del sargazo, dice que las afectaciones las mand Dios, Mexico : EL SARGAZO NO SE CONVIERTE EN ARENA, France : Bilan du BRGM : les taux mesurs en arsenic et en chlorure de sodium dpassent les normes imposes, Sargassum is worsening the conditions of the poorest people in Ghana, Un mystre aux proportions ocaniques : des algues sargasses forment dsormais un pont vgtal entre lAmrique et lAfrique, Republica Dominicana : Sargazo llega hasta las costas de Saman afectando las aguas del mar, Mexico : Sargazo, amenaza para el turismo y la salud, Mexico: On Mexicos Caribbean coast, mountains of seaweed grow, Sargassum, the brown tide that is invading the Caribbean, Puerto Rico: Buscan soluciones en el Caribe al sargazo, que marc un rcord histrico, Afrique : Influence des algues sargasses (sargassum fluitans, sargassum natans) sur les activits socioconomiques le long du littoral ivoirien Cte dIvoire Afrique de louest, Puerto Rico : Record amount of seaweed chokes Caribbean beaches and shoreline, Mexico : SARGAZO PROVOCA MUERTE DE TORTUGAS EN MAHAHUAL. Puerto Rico: Buscan soluciones en el Caribe al sargazo, que marc un rcord histrico, Afrique : Influence des algues sargasses (sargassum fluitans, sargassum natans) sur les activits socioconomiques le long du littoral ivoirien Cte dIvoire Afrique de louest, Puerto Rico : Record amount of seaweed chokes Caribbean beaches and shoreline, Mexico : SARGAZO PROVOCA MUERTE DE TORTUGAS EN MAHAHUAL. How does this stuff miss the (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? (Source: thecancunsun.com). Since 2011, the seaweed has made a mess across the tropical Atlantic, Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico, and east coast of Florida. She and her husband, a park ranger at Fort Zach, live in Key West with their Cat 5s. Mexico was one of the first countries to report it, but this environmental problem, which is lethal to many species and also harmful to human health, concerns almost the entire Caribbean region. Recently back from a week on Briland Nov 08, 2022. (, Seaweed in the Mexican Caribbean to start decreasing soon, according to data (. ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-110371379', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');Bahamas does not have the same problem as many places that are swamped in deep seaweed piles on beaches and in the sea. The different properties of sargassum can be used by sectors ranging from construction to pharmaceuticals or the energy industry. Technically, the Bahamas is not in the Caribbean, so we don't get the same levels of seaweed as in some other areas. The lowest amounts of sargassum are frequently found on Isla Mujeres, Puerto Morelos, and Othon P. Blanco, with the largest concentrations being found close to the well-known beaches of Solidaridad, Cozumel, and Tulum. LaPointe has studied Sargassum for more than three decades, and has yet to see a statewide influx as prolific as the current wave. We like to rough it and are not "resort" types, but if you can't go swimming (no pool), you might as well stay home. My husband and I had planned a trip to the Caribbean for our 15th anniversary last year but obviously had to cancel it. You can find the full report HERE. Of course, there's seaweed on every beach in the world, but it is rare for us to get more than a little - except after a major storm. "The sargassum stranding in the North Sound is unlike any we have experienced previously in terms of its location, weather conditions and scale," officials said. Sargassum seaweed season lasts around 6 months in Mexico. Latest Cancun coast seaweed map, January 16, 2023 (Source: FB Red de Monitoreo del Sargazo de Quintana Roo, As of January 2023, all Cancun and other beaches in Mexican Caribbean are free of seaweed. 1. We are well past the who or what is to blame stage. August 3, 2022 2:30pm Updated Coasts in Barbados and across the Caribbean are experiencing record amounts of seaweed. ", I went seaweed foraging for the first time and hit the mother lode, How To Handle A Massive Seaweed Invasion? Outlook of 2022 Sargassum blooms in the Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico* December 31, 2022, by University of South Florida Optical Oceanography Lab (bbarnes4@usf.edu, yuyuan@usf.edu, huc@usf.edu) The maps below show Sargassum abundance, with warm colors representing higher values. We have been to the (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? - thanks to the photos/videos and dates you can quickly make your own opinion on the . The Biden administration declared a federal emergency after the U.S. Virgin Islands warned last month of "unusually high amounts" of sargassum affecting water production at a desalination plant near St. Croix that is struggling to meet demand amid a drought. Our sponsors include individuals, organizations, not-for-profits and businesses that share the Key West Island News' core values and mission. Brash, bold, and bigoted, he made for an uneasy national mascot. The video and photo below are from Coco Beach in Playa del Carmen (January 28 morning). Even if taxpayers were to agree to fund massive, multi-times-per-day clean ups that trucked away sargassum on the sand, wed not make a dent in whats waiting in the water to wash ashore. But on Tuesday, the government announced it suspended removal efforts because the level of decomposition made it impractical. - they are up-dated 7/7, 365 days/year. more. Is (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? Sargassum isnt a new plant on the block, but it has become an especially obtrusive neighbor over the past few years. We recommend moving this block and the preceding CSS link to the HEAD of your HTML file. 2023 Atlas Obscura. Does Key West always stink like this? FRANCE : Le ministre dlgu au Outre-mer Jean-Franois Carenco a annonc la cration, au 15 octobre 2022, de quatre structures pour grer le sujet sargasse aux Antilles. Cette dcision concerne Saint-Barthlmy, Saint-Martin, la Guadeloupe et la Martinique. Hes also heard of beaches in Key West stained a muddy brown. What transportation is available between the islands? A photo or video to share? More than six centuries ago, the first European expeditions that crossed the Atlantic to reach the American continent sighted a phenomenon known as sargassum. Seaweed covers the Atlantic shore in Frigate Bay, St. Kitts and Nevis, on Wednesday. Comfort Inn access to Atlantis - EVERYTHING. Since 2011, the sargassum piling up on Caribbean beaches has come from a massive algae bloom off Brazils coast. But, what we have now is not the Sargasso Sea variety with which we are familiar. June 17, 2022. * Do not embed this map in a website or a blog without permission from Sargassum Monitoring. ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-110840797', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');Bahamas is in the North Atlantic. Can a long-run strategy be put into place that amortizes the cost of mitigation over a longer period of time? Florida USA : Invasion of the seaweed. I will be visiting the Marathon area. And then it clears. Id suggest this be a collaborative effort that includes every governmental, environmental, residential and business entity that calls the Keys home. Yucatn Towns Get Creative, In Hotter Climate, 'Zombie' Urchins Are Winning And Kelp Forests Are Losing, Masses Of Seaweed Threaten Fisheries And Foul Beaches, Heat Wave Killed An Estimated 1 Billion Sea Creatures, And Scientists Fear Even Worse. This assessment focuses only on the tourism impacts of sargassum. It is abundant in the ocean and has leafy appendages, branches, and round, gas-filled structures called pneumatocysts, which are filled mostly with oxygen. The arrival of seaweed starts in March and by the end of April, it spreads all over the area. There are times if the year where risk is higher but it can absolutely can show up anytime, anywhere. Its trickier to determine exactly why the blooms have gotten so huge. /* Add your own Mailchimp form style overrides in your site stylesheet or in this style block. It is considered a floating hydrophyte, which means it floats . She'll keep doing it for free until she gets bored. Around the world, sand and waves reveal and conceal all manner of findsthe stumps of ancient forests; bottles stuffed with messages; shells, large and small; the occasional lump of sea pork. "In the tropical Atlantic, everything was right," Hu said. "This is the worst we've ever seen it for sure," said Melody Rouveure, general manager for a tour company in the Dutch Caribbean territory of St. Maarten, which shares an island with St. Martin. "It did ruin my personal beach plans.". The Pacific and Gulf coasts of Mexico are not affected by sargassum seaweed. Consider supporting our work by becoming a member for as little as $5 a month. (To satellites that detect infrared, Ed Yong wrote in The Atlantic, sargassum blazes like a bonfire.) Thats how the team computed that last year the belt contained more than 22 million tons of seaweed, sprawling from the Gulf of Mexico to Africas western edge. Cette dcision concerne Saint-Barthlmy, Saint-Martin, la Guadeloupe et la Martinique. Albert Bryan of the U.S. Virgin Islands said he asked President Joe Biden to declare a federal emergency for the entire three-island territory, not just St. Croix, but that didn't happen. "2022 will be another major Sargassum year," stated the bulletin. When the unrestrained blankets of sargassum reach the coast, they prevent light from filtering to the seabed, which is essential for the biology of corals and types of algae that produce food through photosynthesis. Although most seaweed live in the depths, with their roots attached to the bottom of the sea, these two species can live at the surface because they have gas vesicles, an adaptative mechanism that improves photosynthesis and allows them to spend their lives floating, explains Rosa Rodrguez, a marine biologist at the Institute of Marine Sciences and Limnology of the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM).