Every summer season, the Dominican Republic braces for one more onslaught of sargassum—floating mats of brown seaweed originating from the Nice Atlantic Sargassum Belt.
In 2025, this pure phenomenon has reached unprecedented ranges, with satellite tv for pc information revealing a record-breaking 38 million metric tons of sargassum throughout the Atlantic and Caribbean throughout Might—practically double the earlier excessive set in 2022.
Whereas this seaweed performs a important ecological function offshore, its arrival on seashores disrupts tourism, endangers marine ecosystems, and dangers public well being attributable to related foul odors and poisonous gases like hydrogen sulfide and ammonia
: Mexico Sargassum Each day Updates 2024: Cancun, Tulum, PDC, and so forth.
🌍 Present State of affairs within the Dominican Republic
The 2025 sargassum season started unusually early—studies point out it landed in mid‑Might, a month forward of the everyday peak. By June and July, in depth seaside cleanups and limitations have been deployed alongside the nation’s shoreline, particularly in tourism-heavy zones like Punta Cana, the place lodges and authorities scrambled to maintain resorts operational
Forecasts counsel the inflow might persist into summer season’s finish, although circumstances may shift relying on currents, winds, and coastal administration efforts.
Sargassum Seaweed Season 2025: The Newest Satellite tv for pc Photos & Photograph Stories from Dominican Republic
Based mostly on the satellite tv for pc photographs from the College of Florida, there may be nonetheless a number of sargassum seaweed floating in the direction of the Caribbean, and the season will most certainly last more this 12 months.
Sargassum seaweed JUNE 2024 outlook for the Dominican Republic
Not like different components of the Caribbean or Mexico, the sargassum seaweed state of affairs within the Dominican Republic hasn’t been very dangerous within the first two weeks of June. The morning cleanups in Punta Cana appear to be very efficient and depart the seaside in excellent situation for many of the day.
Newest Dominican Republic Sargassum Map
Printed by the Optical Oceanography Laboratory on the School of Marine Science of the College of Florida.
Latest Seaweed Updates from the Dominican Republic (Punta Cana)
Hoteliers and native authorities are on prime of the problem, cleansing seashores each morning and putting in ocean limitations to catch the algae earlier than it washes ashore, in an effort to present vacationers with an unforgettable seaside expertise.
Check out this timeline to get an general image of the present state of affairs on a few of the hottest seashores and the way it evolves. This report relies on information from the Algues sargasses Punta Cana and Sargassum Seaweed Updates Dominican Republic FB teams.
June 1 – June 18: Newest Information & Photographs
In style Dominican Republic Seashore Battles Sargassum Invasion Alongside With Trash Drawback – In style native and vacationer hotspot Boca Chica is reporting an ongoing battle with seaweed and trash issues. Native authorities say they’re placing extra effort into cleansing up and warnings for the native inhabitants as this will have a huge effect on the native economic system. Sadly, the alternative is true and the little seaside city nonetheless has loads of trash websites on the outskirts, faculties, middle, and seashores.
Newest pictures from Punta Cana and different components of DR
As you’ll be able to see within the pictures, the state of affairs has been very risky however typically seashores are wanting nice regardless of the sargassum seaweed is peaking at the moment of the 12 months.
Might 10 – Might 30
A lot of the fashionable hotspots within the Dominican Republic are seeing a surge within the sargassum seaweed however the cleanups within the morning are very environment friendly. It’s a good time to be within the Dominican Republic in the meanwhile. Within the subsequent weeks, the arrival of Sargasso is predicted to surge.
A gorgeous morning foto from Desires Onyx Resort in Punta Cana
Might 1 – 9: Punta Cana has been seeing a surge in sargassum seaweed
Photographs uploaded on Might 9 by Rick Ram shocked ‘Algues sargasses Punta Cana’ FB group. It was the most important arrival of the 2024 seaweed season within the Dominican Republic. After 4-hours of cleansing by a tractor, the seaside was utterly sargassum-free, in line with Rick’s following video put up.
Viral video of tractor cleansing sargassum seaweed within the morning:
Is sargassum seaweed dangerous to folks?
Typically sargassum is innocent however it could trigger irritation and a few rash to folks with delicate pores and skin.
What’s inflicting sargassum seaweed within the Dominican Republic?
The precise reason behind the annual seaweed invasion within the Dominican Republic and the remainder of the Caribben shouldn’t be scientifically confirmed but. Numerous research counsel sargassum progress is said to world warming, chemical compounds utilized in agriculture and human air pollution within the ocean.
