But when thick mats wash ashore, things get foul. Sargassum in moderation helps purify water, absorb carbon dioxide and is a key habitat for fish . ", Lakes Beach is covered in sargassum in St. Andrew along the east coast of Barbados on July 27. Sargassum in moderation helps purify water, absorb carbon dioxide and is a key habitat for fish, turtles, shrimp, crabs and other creatures. It is considered a floating hydrophyte, which means it floats . For years, various scientific studies have warned of how changes in the ocean currents due to the melting of the poles and glaciers, as well as the excessive ocean fertilization, are making this an increasingly common phenomenon. An overabundance of sargassum was blamed for the recent deaths of thousands of fish at the French Caribbean island of Martinique. Sargassum seaweed season lasts around 6 months in Mexico. 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. What transportation is available between the islands? Ricardo Mazalan/AP Sargassum is a genus of large brown seaweed (a type of algae) that floats in island-like masses, never attaching to the seafloor. October Travels Jun 18, 2022. */, Travelinglifestyle.net is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com, Copyright 2022 Traveling Lifestyle Network, LLC. Bahamas All Inclusive/Adult Only/Smaller Resorts. Sargassum Seaweed in 2022 and 2023 Sargassum seaweed in Playa del Carmen, Mexico on August 7, 2022 (Credit: Doctry 360) However, it's important to note that even on islands affected by an influx of sargassum algae there are often beaches that are totally clear on the same island. Punta Cana SEAWEED Problem (2022): Everything You Need To Know!! Unfortunately, the year 2022 will be no exception. LaPointe has studied Sargassum for more than three decades, and has yet to see a statewide influx as prolific as the current wave. Members who are knowledgeable about this destination and volunteer their time to answer travelers' questions. I think you were wise to have asked this question. She and her husband, a park ranger at Fort Zach, live in Key West with their Cat 5s. 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. There is seaweed everywhere, that's just how things are unless you're staying at a resort where the house elves rake it all up for you while you're sleeping. 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. Save. But for the communities that often find themselves digging out from a mountain of sargassum, the whole situation stinks. Save. What are the other negative implications or externalities that could be associated with sargassum activity (e.g., environmental, health, others)? Levels in the northern Caribbean are at their third highest, following July 2018 and July 2021, he said. 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. Travel Advisory 2023, Is Mexico City Safe? 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 . This summer's influx of sargassum, which has threatened water and energy production on St. Croix, has provoked the government to consider how it can best protect the people who have to deal with its clean-up and disposal. One of these days, our visitors will, too. ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-110846190', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');Bahamas and crush Florida? Directly downstream are the beaches of Fort Zachary Taylor State Park. ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-110026224', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');Bahamas and if we were to plan our trip there, where we should plan to stay to have the best chance of avoiding it - if it usually only affects certain beaches, etc? Whats more, the strategy of directly removing the buildup of seaweed from the coasts has a very negative impact. The Pacific and Gulf coasts of Mexico are not affected by sargassum seaweed. This is misleading. 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. "2022 will be another major Sargassum year," stated the bulletin. Digital Content Manager & Editor - Its well past the worst season and Im on the Mexican Gulf coast at the moment. 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. See. There are times if the year where risk is higher but it can absolutely can show up anytime, anywhere. The oceans chemistry must have changed in order for the blooms to get so out of hand, said co-author Chuanmin Hu, a USF oceanographer, in a news release. Every weekday we compile our most wondrous stories and deliver them straight to you. getting to the bahamas from florida by ferry? The Navy operates 11 seaweed collection vessels in the area, but records show that the amount gathered at sea is decreasing year after year. 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. 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. Welcome to the Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt, the Seaweed Superhighway. There is seaweed everywhere, that's just how things are unless you're staying at a resort where the house elves rake it all up for you while you're sleeping. Though helpful and great for photo ops, a handful of diligent locals with rakes isnt going to put a dent in the sargassum. Sargassum seaweed season in Cancun and around Mexican Caribbean finishes in October. By 2018, the volume was concerning, and then it decreased. Its trickier to determine exactly why the blooms have gotten so huge. Since 2011, large amounts of sargassum have invaded the Caribbean every year except 2013 an anomaly that scientists believe may have resulted from a lack of nutrients and a change in wind strength and direction. "We're very concerned about that.". Our sponsors include individuals, organizations, not-for-profits and businesses that share the Key West Island News' core values and mission. MTO FRANCE : 30/01/2023 Prvision dchouements dalgues sargasses, 28/01/2023 Sargassum seaweed Satellite views, MTO FRANCE : 26/01/2023 Prvision dchouements dalgues sargasses, Mexico : 2023 un ao con mucho sargazo para el Caribe Mexicano, MTO FRANCE : 23/01/2023 Bulletin de prvision dchouements de sargasses plagiques, 21/01/2023 Sargassum seaweed Satellite views, Mexico : Sol, mary sargazo: cmo la energa puede rescatar al paraso mexicano, MTO FRANCE Antilles Francaises : 16/01/2023 Bulletin de prvision dchouements de sargasses plagiques, 14/01/2023 Sargassum seaweed Satellite views, ANTILLES FRANCAISES : 09/01/2023 BULLETIN DE PREVISION DECHOUEMENT DES SARGASSES PELAGIQUES, Mexico & Florida: Growth rates of pelagic Sargassum species in the Mexican Caribbean, 06/01/2023 Sargassum seaweed Satellite views, ANTILLES FRANCAISES : 02/01/2023 BULLETIN DE PREVISION DECHOUEMENT DES SARGASSES PELAGIQUES, 01/01/2023 Sargassum seaweed Satellite views. We are Atlantic-facing, so don't have the same kind of issues as many of the Caribbean and Central American countries. IS there a sea weed problem too Atlantis beaches or is this only a problem in cancun? But, what we have now is not the Sargasso Sea variety with which we are familiar. 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. 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. But large arrivals of sargassum have also reached the north coast of Brazil and even Florida, says Rodrguez. These biopolymers, whose antitumor and immunomodulatory properties are currently being researched, could even be used as cancer therapies, according to some studies. In 2020, the Navy eradicated 4% of the sargassum in the water, but 96% was removed from the beaches. "Everything grows fast. According to the strongest hypotheses, climate change is behind the spread and uncontrolled growth of sargassum. we provide reliable information for tourists, travel agencies, journalists, scientists, academics, governments and more, looking for solutions. It all began in the summer of 2011, when sargassum started to accumulate on the beaches of many destinations with crystal clear waters and white sands. Maintaining our beaches remains a priority for Miami-Dade County Parks, recreation and Open Spaces. We are well past not my problem. Sargassum has the potential to destroy our ecosystems and damage our most important revenue stream. Sargassum isnt a new plant on the block, but it has become an especially obtrusive neighbor over the past few years. Long Beach is covered with sargassum in Crest Church parish along the south coast of Barbados on July 27. "We're consuming as much as we can produce right now," said Daryl Jaschen, director of the islands' emergency management agency. OK, so here's the deal: Editor Linda Grist Cunningham does this because she's a news junkie and is tired of having to search hither and yon. Check a map and you will see how far the Bahamas are from the Caribbean Sea. Dominican Republic : Punta Cana SEAWEED Problem (2022): Everything You Need To Know!! By mid-October, sargassum seaweed season is expected to end on the Mexican Caribbean coast. Since 2011, the seaweed has made a mess across the tropical Atlantic, Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico, and east coast of Florida. The Rockport Analytics report went on to recommend the county ask and answer at least five questions. Sargassum - Great Abaco - Bahamas 24/08/2022 - @Celia RogersOfficial map of sargassum daily updated on the website : https://sargassummonitoring.com/Facebook group : https://www.facebook.com/groups/520290655064203/Twitter: https://twitter.com/SargaMonitoringInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/sargassum_monitoring/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sargassum-monitoring-001129236/Sargassum Monitoring, site officiel des arrivages de sargasses dans tous les pays impacts.La carte officielle est mise a jour 7/7, 365j par an.5 millions de visiteurs en 4 ans!Sargassum Monitoring, official website of sargassum arrivals in all impacted countries.The official map is updated 7/7, 365 days a year.5 million visitors in 4 years!Sargassum Monitoring, el sitio oficial de las llegadas de Sargassum en todos los pases impactados.El mapa oficiale se actualiza 7/7, 365 das al ao.5 millones de visitantes en 4 aos!------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------#sargasses #sargassum #sargazo 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.. Mexican Caribbean has seen an increase in Sargassum seaweed in the past few days. they report the arrivals of sargassum in the entire Caribbean and more. hide caption. It damages boat engines and fishing gear, prevents fishermen from reaching their boats and fishing areas and leads to a drop in the number of fish caught. Summer 2022 sargassum blew past previous records for June; July dropped a tad and August is pending, but the University of South Florida, which tracks sargassum, says there's so much sargassum floating in the open waters right now that we can expect what they call "beaching" for at least a couple more months. Aug 23, 2022, 1:40 PM. We have been to the (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? Cette dcision concerne Saint-Barthlmy, Saint-Martin, la Guadeloupe et la Martinique. In 2023, the estimation is not clear as it's not possible to see it on the ocean from satellites yet. 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. The official Maps received over 6 million views ! Christine, CEO-Founder of Sargassum Monitoring. 2023 Atlas Obscura. more. Locals already know to forego our beaches most summer days. And if the seaweed is heavier due to a storm, Atlantis rakes their beach daily, so there shouldn't be an issue. This assessment focuses only on the tourism impacts of sargassum. You can find the full report HERE. 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? 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