![]() Scientists are still working to understand why the seaweed is growing so much and how it can be managed. Leaving the sargassum in place creates its own problems: The algae contains arsenic, which can leach into groundwater. But the heavy equipment can crush sea turtle eggs, damaging already fragile populations. ![]() For instance, front-end loader dump trucks are often used to remove sargassum that’s accumulated more than a foot. The fluctuations in the mass of sargassum are believed “to be a result of climate variability and other natural and unnatural processes,” USF’s Optical Oceanography Lab says on its websiteĬleaning up sargassum on beaches can be both expensive and difficult, according to the Sargassum Information Hub. And the gas emitted from the rotting algae is toxic and can cause respiratory problems. When there’s too much of the seaweed, it deprives oxygen from the water, creating dead zones. In addition to being irritating for beachgoers, the sargassum mounds can also damage ocean life and be dangerous to humans. The algae is actually beneficial when it’s adrift at sea, as it provides food and protection for fish, mammals, marine birds, crabs and other organisms.īut when the seaweed hits the beaches, it accumulates in obstructive, rotten-smelling mounds. Sargassum is a catch-all term for over 300 species of brown algae. The Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt has appeared in the Caribbean Sea “every summer since 2011” except for 2013, according to the USF Optical Oceanography Lab. “The total Sargassum quantity is expected to increase over the next few months, with impacts of beaching events in the CS (Caribbean Sea) and GoM (Gulf of Mexico) worsening accordingly,” states the report. The amount of sargassum is expected to continue to increase, according to the outlook, meaning the blob is going to worsen as tourist season picks up in Florida and other tropical areas. He said that the “only exception is the eastern Atlantic,” which is likely due to clouds obscuring the sargassum in the satellite images. “As expected, Sargassum quantity in most regions has increased continuously from previous months, with the Caribbean Sea setting a new record for the same month of all previous years,” Chuanmin Hu, the Director of the Optical Oceanography Lab at USF, told CNN. In the Caribbean Sea, the seaweed totals set a new monthly record, the outlook shows. The amount of Sargassum seaweed continues to increase over previous months in most regions, according to the latest outlook from the University of South Florida (USF) Optical Oceanography Lab. Scientists have tracked the huge blooms of sargassum seaweed that form across the Atlantic Ocean since 2011 – and this year’s mass is setting new records with its size, they say. The stinky mass has set a new monthly record, scientists say “When I’m on vacation, I want to be in the water.” “It’s a big disappointment as far as that goes really,” she said. Matts said that she felt uncomfortable swimming in the water because of the strong smell. “I grew up in Florida and I mean, this is not what we expected to see when we came in here – this much seaweed.” “It’s like 75 yards of seaweed out before you even hit clear water,” said Hytreck. ![]() They told CNN on Sunday they were shocked by the amount of seaweed on the beach. Matts and Hytreck drove hours from Bradenton, Florida, to celebrate Matts’ big birthday. The blob of smelly seaweed is hitting beach shores just as Florida’s tourist season hits its stride – a major economic driver in the state.Ī seaweed blob twice the width of the US is heading toward Florida. Scientists measured 3 million tons of seaweed, which emits a gas that can smell like rotten eggs, in the Caribbean, the report shows. The mass this year set a new record with scientists finding more seaweed from the blob present in the Caribbean Sea than any other April on record, according to a report from the University of South Florida. ![]() What Matts and her boyfriend, Jason Hytreck, encountered was the Great Atlantic Sargassum Seaweed Belt, a floating mass of brown seaweed that spans more than 5,000 miles and forms yearly from the shores of Africa to the Gulf of Mexico. But their vacation was spoiled by an unexpected guest: a record-breaking amount of smelly seaweed known as sargassum that is coating the iconic Florida island’s popular beaches. View our ADA Accessibility Policy.Ginny Matts and her boyfriend were excited to celebrate her 60th birthday in Key West. This website meets WCAG 2.0/2.1 AA standards set by the ADA. Content from this Website may not be copied, downloaded, reproduced or used without written permission! Privacy Policy Yankee Freedom, LLC is authorized by the National Park Service and the Department of the Interior to serve the public at Dry Tortugas National Park. Copyright © 2023 Yankee Freedom III, LLC. ![]() Dry Tortugas National Park and Fort Jefferson Ferry Service. ![]()
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