The discharges and waste from industries and agriculture at the mouths of the great rivers of South America, such as the Amazon and the Orinoco, whose sediments and organic matter are pushed north by the currents, have caused seaweed to reproduce at a record speed, creating the Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt, a buildup of seaweed that is devastating the Caribbean coasts. If you are a resident of another country or region, please select the appropriate version of Tripadvisor for your country or region in the drop-down menu. 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By 2018, the volume was concerning, and then it decreased. By mid-October, sargassum seaweed season is expected to end on the Mexican Caribbean coast. Are there longer-run impacts that might not be included in our model? Heres what Florida sargassum expert Brian Lapointe told the Sun-Sentinel on Aug. 5, 2022: Its just too much of a good thing. When the seaweed decompose on the shore, they consume large amounts of oxygen, causing anoxia and emitting toxic gases like hydrogen sulfide and methane, which are very dangerous for humans and can cause the mass death of many species. IS there a sea weed problem too Atlantis beaches or is this only a problem in cancun? From an ROI standpoint, it is important to weigh this impact against the estimated cost of mitigation, which we estimate to be between $3.4 million and $17.8 million. But when thick mats wash ashore, things get foul. Our maps are updated 365 days/year with photos/videos & dates. 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. Travel Advisory 2023, Is La Paz, Mexico Safe? Out in the open waterwhere the seaweed drifts freely across a region of the Atlantic called the Sargasso Seasargassum is a happy home for several creatures, including species of eels, shrimp, crabs, and Histrio histrio, also known as the sargassum fish. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); #mc_embed_signup{background:#000000; clear:left; font:14px Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; width:100%;} Its too early to predict sargassum beachings in September. No, such is the nature of climate change. The Sargassum plight is in the Caribbean Sea, the Bahamas is in the North Atlantic. Scientists say more research is needed to determine why sargassum levels in the region are reaching new highs, but the United Nations' Caribbean Environment Program says possible factors include a rise in water temperatures as a result of climate change and nitrogen-laden fertilizers and sewage waste fueling algae blooms. The arrival of seaweed starts in March and by the end of April, it spreads all over the area. In 2020, the Navy eradicated 4% of the sargassum in the water, but 96% was removed from the beaches. Minneapolis. Steady east to southeast winds increase during this time of year and an influx of sargassum can build up at our County's beautiful beaches. So, no, there isn't a Sargassum problem in the Bahamas. This is the version of our website addressed to speakers of English in the United States. Some of these sights are fleeting: The stumps might be visible only when the tide slinks out, for example, or a bottle may wash in one day, then vanish into the waves the next. more. 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. See. It is abundant in the ocean and has leafy appendages, branches, and round, gas-filled structures called pneumatocysts, which are filled mostly with oxygen. 2021: Everything you need to know about Key West sargassum, 2022: Key West sargassum 2022: One of these days itll kill our summer beach time, Key West local | Are you one? According to studies by the National Autonomous University of Mexico, sargassum was first detected on the coast of Quintana Roo in late 2014 and increased in 2015. The phenomenon has broken records this year and has become one of the great environmental concerns of the coastal areas of the region. Is (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? Dominican Republic : Punta Cana SEAWEED Problem (2022): Everything You Need To Know!! Every seaside beach in the Caribbean, western Mexico and into the Gulf of Mexico is swearing at this new sargassum and helpless to do much about it. Seaweed covers the Atlantic shore in Frigate Bay, St. Kitts and Nevis, on Wednesday. Apparently, bad weather is hampering attempts. Don't let sargassum ruin your beach day! We are looking into rescheduling later this summer but Ive been reading about how bad the sargassum is this year throughout much of the Caribbean. 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. Will there still be seaweed? "We don't know if this is a new normal," Krimsky said. Mallory Square | Lets mix and match the design options, Its going to be a cold one: Five ways to weather a Key West Christmas. Communiqu de Presse tlchargeable (format PDF) en Franais. The sheer volume makes clean-up impossible. The Sargassum plight is in the Caribbean Sea, the (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? we provide reliable information for tourists, travel agencies, journalists, scientists, academics, governments and more, looking for solutions. SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico A record amount of seaweed is smothering Caribbean coasts from Puerto Rico to Barbados as tons of brown algae kill wildlife, choke the tourism industry and release toxic gases. Get answers to your questions about Bahamas. The researchers note that the data is preliminary, and that theyre eager for more granular information. Here is the list of beaches with the lowest levels: Latest Cancun coast seaweed map, February 14, 2023 (Source: FB Red de Monitoreo del Sargazo de Quintana Roo. And with the heavy machinery that is used to extract the seaweed, they remove a lot of sand, says the UNAM expert. 2019: OMG! A little sargassum helps prevent beach erosion, but when its a lot it has the opposite effect. Last year, the number dropped to 3% and is now at 1% in 2022. We do not serve the interests of any government or hotel association. However, according to Ojeda, the stats projected today are much higher than at the peak in 2018. Save. SLS Baha Mar - need help deciding (option 2 is the Reef). getting to the bahamas from florida by ferry? A photo or video to share? Re: Sargassum 1 year ago Save Take a look at this web site. Required fields are marked *. Digital Content Manager & Editor -
August 15, 2022. In short, if anyone is telling you beaches in Key West, the Keys or on the east coast of Florida are fine; just a normal summer you ought ask them if theyve been outside recently. Offer subject to change without notice. Managing sargassum will take a heavy lift among the city, county, state, federal and local business owners. I did, too, before our trip last April. Based on the last 20 years of data, Hu said in a statement, I can say that the belt is very likely to be a new normal.. This year, the amount of sargassum has already reached historic figures in the Atlantic Ocean: in June, more than 24 million tons of the brown tide were recorded in the Caribbean coast, from Puerto Rico to Barbados, according to a report from the oceanography laboratory of the University of South Florida. 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. Dominican Republic : Punta Cana SEAWEED Problem (2022): Everything You Need To Know!! 2022, the overall Sargassum amount increased significantly across the tropical Atlantic, the Caribbean Sea (CS), the Gulf of Mexico (GoM), and the Central West Atlantic (CWA, i.e., the region east of the Lesser Antilles in the maps below), setting a new historical record for the month of April. USF-NASA : 2023 major blooms of sargassum ? they report the arrivals of sargassum in the entire Caribbean and more. In December 2022, the overall Sargassum quantity in the central . Cette dcision concerne Saint-Barthlmy, Saint-Martin, la Guadeloupe et la Martinique. Whether you call them gaps, rings, or fairy circles, these unexpected formations in seagrass beds are keeping scientists guessing. Since 2018, Punta Cana (Dominican Republic), like the rest of the Caribbean countries, has been reporting masses of sargassum seaweed on its beaches. Got something to say? Linda Grist Cunningham is editor and proprietor of Key West Island News and KeyWestWatch Media LLC. "We're very concerned about that.". Hello! She'll keep doing it for free until she gets bored. The normally translucent waters around Pinel Island turned into a prickly brown slush. No purchase necessary. If you can't be bothered even to check the website a few times a week, subscribe to our newsletter. Atypical northern winds in December 2022 deposited some sargassum on Grace Bay Beach, yet these accumulations have largely dissipated. 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. Sargassum & Seaweed in the Turks & Caicos January 2023 Update: The Turks and Caicos is experiencing moderate to low levels of sargassum at this time. She said large masses of seaweed have a severe environmental impact, with decaying algae altering water temperatures and the pH balance as well as leading to declines in seagrass, coral reef and sponge populations. USF-NASA : 2023 major blooms of sargassum ? ), How To Maintain A Healthy Life While You Travel, Las Vegas New Orb-Shaped Music Venue Set To Open In Fall 2023 With U2 Appearance, The Most Instagram-Liked Airbnb Houses For 2023, FB Red de Monitoreo del Sargazo de Quintana Roo, 23 Best Beaches in CALIFORNIA to Visit in April 2023, 7 Best Hostels in Bocas del Toro for Solo Travelers, Party & Chill in 2023, Is CANCUN SAFE To Visit? Check a map and you will see how far the Bahamas are from the Caribbean Sea. The floating golden brown carpets of sea algae are safe nurseries for fish and turtles. The situation in the country, as described by the official: in Isla Mujeres, there is zero sargassum; in the municipality of Benito Jurez, on the Chac Mool beach, yesterday 5 percent was detected; in Puerto Morelos, on Pelicanos Beach, 20 percent; in Playa San Martin in Cozumel, 20 percent; in the municipality of Solidaridad, El Recodo beach, 30 percent; in Playa Maya in Tulum it is where more arrivals of this algae have been reported, 40%; while in Othn P. Blanco, in El Mahahual, 15%.. This is the version of our website addressed to speakers of English in the United States. Punta Cana SEAWEED Problem (2022): Everything You Need To Know!! Heck, even Christopher Columbus wrote about seeing it floating in the Atlantics Sargasso Sea (hence, the name). Travel Advisory 2023, Is Mexico City Safe? "They're essentially being smothered out," Krimsky said. Comfort Inn access to Atlantis - EVERYTHING. 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 water. Communiqu de Presse tlchargeable (format PDF) en Franais. "This year has been the worst year on record," said Lisa Krimsky, a researcher and faculty member with Florida Sea Grant and a water resources regional specialized agent at University of Florida. Dcouverte surprenante dans les sargasses au Mexique ! Sargassum is a genus of large brown seaweed (a type of algae) that floats in island-like masses, never attaching to the seafloor. For example, could there be increasing reports of sargassum in the Keys through social or traditional media that leads to more negative sentiment that compound impacts to visitor demand. Its nature and it doesnt care about your vacation and with seaweed there is always a risk it will show up. "I was scared," he recalled feeling when he saw the historic number for June. According to Rodrguez, even though there is not enough information on the biomass that is reaching the different regions of the Caribbean, which fluctuates every year, everything suggests that not only the problem will remain, but it will take a turn for the worse.. If you are a resident of another country or region, please select the appropriate version of Tripadvisor for your country or region in the drop-down menu. Nevertheless, the seaweed problem is worsening in Cancun every year and if you are planning to spend quality time on the beach, then you want to avoid those 6 months of seaweed season. While documenting it, some of those explorers feared that their ships would get stuck in that brown tide. What transportation is available between the islands? 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. The official Maps received over 6 million views ! This is a new record amount of Sargassum in summer 2022 that were seeing in the Caribbean and beyond, said Brian Lapointe, a principal investigator of ecology and water quality at Florida Atlantic Universitys Harbor Branch Oceanic Institute. Only a small area of the coast is being looked after, and ecosystems that are also affected by sargassum, like the mangroves and the jungle, are not being cared for, she points out. October Travels Jun 18, 2022. The seaweed stinks as it rots in the sun, attracting flies, imperiling sea-turtle nests and fish, and churning the stomachs of beachgoers, who help prop up the economy of many coastal communities. Prickly brown slush to our newsletter deciding ( option 2 is the Reef ) & x27! 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