"They're essentially being smothered out," Krimsky said. All rights reserved. Sargassum isnt a new plant on the block, but it has become an especially obtrusive neighbor over the past few years. The sheer volume makes clean-up impossible. Florida USA : Invasion of the seaweed. 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. We are Atlantic-facing, so don't have the same kind of issues as many of the Caribbean and Central American countries. While the uncontrolled accumulation of these algae is toxic in coastal regions, causing the massive death of many marine species, in the open sea they play a very important role in maintaining ecological balance. I was in Cancun a few days ago and it was just starting to get some. More than six centuries ago, the first European expeditions that crossed the Atlantic to reach the American continent sighted a phenomenon known as sargassum. SLS Baha Mar - need help deciding (option 2 is the Reef). South Floridas beaches see record volume this summer, Sargasses: 4 plages de Guadeloupe impactes avec de taux de toxicit levs, 25/02/2023 NASA-USF & SIMAR-SATsum-Conabio Sargassum Seaweed Bulletin. Whats more, the strategy of directly removing the buildup of seaweed from the coasts has a very negative impact. USF / NASA Alert: Second consecutive monthly doubling of Sargassum ! Bryan said he is now trying to find local funds to clean beaches, "but a lot of things need money right now.". aot 2, 2022 Sargasses: 4 plages de Guadeloupe impactes avec de taux de toxicit levs, 25/02/2023 NASA-USF & SIMAR-SATsum-Conabio Sargassum Seaweed Bulletin. 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. The project would divert sargassum back into the channel and minimize the sargassum beachings. Managing it will be a multi-million dollar effort just in Monroe County. Bahamas All Inclusive/Adult Only/Smaller Resorts. In addition to serving as a platform for the protection and sustenance of marine fauna, it is part of the migration path of species such as eels, turtles and whales. 3. Learn how to create your own. USF / NASA Alert: Second consecutive monthly doubling of Sargassum ! Hes also heard of beaches in Key West stained a muddy brown. 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. Dcouverte surprenante dans les sargasses au Mexique ! ", Lakes Beach is covered in sargassum in St. Andrew along the east coast of Barbados on July 27. Latest Covid Policy Aug 30, 2022. Save. Save. What is the best way to arrive in the Bahamas? 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. hide caption. She'll keep doing it for free until she gets bored. Browse forums All Caribbean forums Bahamas forum Watch this Topic Get answers to your questions about Bahamas Ask a question Bahamas All Inclusive/Adult Only/Smaller Resorts 3 replies Get answers to your questions about Bahamas. I am having difficulty finding what the sargassum situation is in late September. And with the heavy machinery that is used to extract the seaweed, they remove a lot of sand, says the UNAM expert. Destinations For Affordable Travel In 2023, 23 Best Places to Visit in MAY 2023 in the USA (TOP Picks! LaPointe has studied Sargassum for more than three decades, and has yet to see a statewide influx as prolific as the current wave. Don't buy the story about lack of crime on Harbour Island Aug 10, 2022. 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. Comfort Inn access to Atlantis - EVERYTHING. As predicted, small amount was observed in the CS and minimal amount was observed in the Gulf of Mexico (GoM), but moderate to large amounts of Sargassum were . Such are the cycles of nature. The Sargasso Sea, in the North Atlantic Ocean, is an exceptional ecosystem that provides food and shelter for hundreds of species, some of them unique to this floating habitat. You quickly make your own opinion about the real situation. Offer subject to change without notice. A little sargassum helps prevent beach erosion, but when its a lot it has the opposite effect. 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. 2022 beaches impacted by Sargassum seaweeds. The video and photo below are from Coco Beach in Playa del Carmen (January 28 morning). Sargassum Jul 28, 2022. More than 24 million tons of sargassum blanketed the Atlantic in June, up from 18.8 million tons in May, according to a monthly report published by the University of South Florida's Optical Oceanography Lab that noted "a new historical record.". 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 theres 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. IS there a sea weed problem too Atlantis beaches or is this only a problem in cancun? Playa del Carmens beaches are facing an influx of seaweed, however, the cleanliness of the beaches varies depending on location and the presence of organized cleaning services. What are forum guidelines? July saw no decrease of algae in the Caribbean Sea, said Chuanmin Hu, an optical oceanography professor who helps produce the reports. 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. We have been to the (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? USF-NASA : 2023 major blooms of sargassum ? 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 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.. A carpet of brown algae recently surrounded an uninhabited island near the French Caribbean territory of St. Martin that is popular with tourists, forcing officials to suspend ferry service and cancel kayaking and snorkeling tours. Masses of sargassum also have strangled the Caribbean's fishing industry. In 2023, the estimation is not clear as its not possible to see it on the ocean from satellites yet. For the past decade, Vince Ramgeet and his two Public Works Department field officers have been locked in a constant struggle to clear Grand Cayman's public boat ramps and their . An investigation was carried out in collaboration with the Gulf and Caribbean Oceanographic Institut to ascertain how much sargassum might ultimately enter the Mexican Caribbean. Christine, CEO-Founder of Sargassum Monitoring. January 2022, the overall Sargassum amount increased significantly from December 2021 across the Central Atlantic and the Caribbean Sea (CS). An overabundance of sargassum was blamed for the recent deaths of thousands of fish at the French Caribbean island of Martinique. Seaside views, complete with rusting, graffiti-covered machines of war. Don't let sargassum ruin your beach day! The Rockport Analytics report went on to recommend the county ask and answer at least five questions. we always provide reliable information for tourists, travel agencies, journalists, scientists, academics, governments etc. 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. Can a long-run strategy be put into place that amortizes the cost of mitigation over a longer period of time? When it's bad, it's awful. Punta Cana SEAWEED Problem (2022): Everything You Need To Know!! And if the seaweed is heavier due to a storm, Atlantis rakes their beach daily, so there shouldn't be an issue. The government has deployed a series of measures to fight the issue, especially in Quintana Roo, where Cancun is located and which has a higher number of visitors. We are Atlantic-facing, so don't have the same kind of issues as many of the Caribbean and Central American countries. Water taxi hours Nov 08, 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. Cleanup seems to be an excellent way to repurpose TDC dollars. Experts first noted large amounts of sargassum in the Caribbean Sea in 2011 that Hu and other scientists think were created by stronger than normal winds and currents. Dcouverte surprenante dans les sargasses au Mexique ! 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. Locals already know to forego our beaches most summer days. Find beaches without seaweed in the Riviera Maya, Mexico. Though helpful and great for photo ops, a handful of diligent locals with rakes isnt going to put a dent in the sargassum. Heres what Florida sargassum expert Brian Lapointe told the Sun-Sentinel on Aug. 5, 2022: Its just too much of a good thing. Nonetheless, Rodrguez explains that the resources invested so far have not been efficient. The beaches of Belize, Honduras, Jamaica, Cuba, Mexico, the Dominican Republic and Barbados, or islands such as San Andres, Guadeloupe or Martinique, among others, are affected by the blankets of seaweed every year. It is abundant in the ocean and has leafy appendages, branches, and round, gas-filled structures called pneumatocysts, which are filled mostly with oxygen. who are looking for solutions. 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. Long Beach is covered with sargassum in Crest Church parish along the south coast of Barbados on July 27. She and her husband, a park ranger at Fort Zach, live in Key West with their Cat 5s. Beaches in the hotel zone in Cancun are still relatively clean and well-maintained but plenty of the beaches on the coast such as Cozumel, Playa del Carmen, Akumal or Playacar have already high levels of seaweed. Second consecutive monthly doubling of sargassum a statewide influx as prolific as the current wave period... Of seaweed from the coasts has a very negative impact that amortizes the cost of mitigation over a period... Their Cat 5s need help deciding ( option 2 is the best to... As its not possible to see a statewide influx as prolific as the current.... 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