Share and Follow
SAN DIEGO (Border Report) — Researchers from the University of South Florida have reported an enormous expanse of seaweed, weighing approximately 38 million metric tons, covering the Atlantic Ocean from the shores of Africa to the Caribbean islands.
This year’s sargassum bloom has outstripped previous records, which were set back in 2018 and 2022.
Over the past 15 years, these seaweed blooms have become more frequent and intense.
Experts attribute this trend to a combination of rising ocean temperatures, changes in wind and current patterns, and heightened nutrient runoff from significant rivers such as the Amazon, Orinoco, and Mississippi.
The current sargassum mass, weighing in at 38 million tons, marks the most extensive biomass recorded since satellite monitoring commenced in 2011.
For years now, beaches in popular tourists destinations such as the Caribbean, Florida, Cancun and the Riviera Maya, have been coated with sargassum, driving tourists away who can’t swim or waddle in the water.
As the sargassum dries on beaches, it releases hydrogen sulfide gas, producing a strong odor similar to rotten eggs. In high concentrations, it’s been known to cause eye irritation, headaches and respiratory discomfort.
Scientists say the seaweed also damages coral reefs and seagrass beds by reducing oxygen levels close to shore, disrupting sea turtle nesting sites and impacting fishing grounds.
According to the Riviera Maya News & Events, municipal governments along the Riviera Maya have already activated containment strategies, including offshore sargassum barriers, specialized collection vessels, and daily beach cleanups.
The Mexican Navy is reportdly deploying, on a consistent basis, sargassum-collection ships as part of a coordinated response.