An unprecedented increase in sargassum is currently affecting much of the Caribbean, from Puerto Rico to Guyana, including the Mexican coasts—a phenomenon that is causing concern among the region’s scientific community.
Specialists and various sectors are worried about the environmental, economic, and public health impacts of this phenomenon, according to reports from Caribbean News Digital.
The massive accumulation of this rough-textured brown algae releases toxic gases such as hydrogen sulfide, which cause unpleasant odors, degrade air quality, and kill marine wildlife, the source notes.
According to ecologist Brian Lapointe, recent extreme rainfall in the Amazon basin resulted in a massive discharge of phosphorus and nitrogen into the ocean, fertilizing the sea and triggering the rapid growth of sargassum. Since 2011, researchers have been monitoring this phenomenon as part of the so-called Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt, an oceanic strip where these algae proliferate.
A report from the University of South Florida (USF) estimates that approximately 38 million metric tons of sargassum have been recorded—an increase of 58 percent compared to the previous record set in 2022.
The collection efforts entail significant expenses for local authorities and directly impact tourism, one of the main sources of income in the region.
Its appearance is particularly intense each year from early spring through September or October, coinciding with the summer travel season, local sources explain.
The peak sargassum season begins in spring and extends through September or October, numerous articles report, providing data on this brown algae.
(Taken from Prensa Latina)
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