Sargassum has been round for hundreds of years. The primary report of its existence was written by Christopher Columbus himself in 1492, involved that his caravels may grow to be trapped in a “vegetal blob,” in what is understood at this time because the Sargasso Sea.
For all these years, this innocent algae used to offer shelter and meals for marine species. However not anymore.
During the last decade, this seaweed has been rising uncontrollably, massively arriving at coasts all the best way from West Africa as much as South Florida, passing from all nations surrounded by Caribbean waters, together with Mexico.
In Quintana Roo alone, authorities have collected over 200 tons of sargassum within the final 4 years, in line with Huguette Hernández Gómez, Secretary of Ecology and Atmosphere of the State. In different phrases, a complete nightmare.
In accordance with specialists, sargassum is posing a marine risk by no means seen earlier than. The worst half is that they don’t actually know what precisely is inflicting this phenomenon or tips on how to mitigate it.
Amongst different issues, sargassum varieties a barrier that blocks daylight stopping marine organisms from finishing up photosynthesis.
In a 2021 examine revealed by Local weather Change Ecology, sargassum beds have been discovered responsible of reducing daylight entry by 73% and rising water temperature by 41°F.
Sargassum “primarily impacts species that can’t transfer or transfer little or no, resembling starfish, sea urchins, seagrasses and, in fact, corals,” reported the biologist María García Rivas, Director of Puerto Morelos Nationwide Reef Park.
One other examine revealed by Marine Air pollution Bulletin analyzed the harm brought on by the rotting of the algae on Mexican Caribbean seashores in 2018, wherein creatures from 78 species died, particularly crustaceans and demersal and neritic fish that stay on the seabed.
Nonetheless, the worst impacted species is the Great Mayan Reef, the second largest on the earth, comprising Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, and Honduras, as a result of it’s being “suffocated” by large quantities of sargassum.
In Colombia, the mountains of sargassum accrued in key protected islands are stopping sea tortures from reaching the ocean earlier than being depredated.
“We noticed that child turtles had issues crossing the sargassum barrier and have been weak to predation by ghost crabs, rats and different predators,” knowledgeable Briggite Gavio, a marine biology professor on the Nationwide College of Colombia.
Educational pairs in Antigua and Barbuda and Florida have reported the identical subject.
In nations like Belize, sargassum is sweeping alongside marine litter, suffocating a number of organisms and making the surroundings poisonous within the course of, says James Foley, oceans director at Nature Conservancy.
Final however not least, Sargassum additionally seems to be killing Caribbean mangroves, that are saltwater bushes that defend coastlines from excessive hurricanes.
These organisms stay within the seashore however their roots want oxygen to outlive. The issue is that sargassum is appearing as an oil spill, suffocating its roots, says Camilo Trench, a Jamaican marine biologist on the College of the West Indies (UWI).
Prices for the Tourism Business and Governments
Being Mexico probably the most visited nations on the earth, it’s additionally the one paying the best worth. Tourism reduces however bills skyrocket.
In 2023, Mexico’s Navy Secretariat spent $3 million amassing seaweed, buying sargasero ships and putting in anti-sargassum boundaries.
The Federal Maritime Terrestrial Zone spent $7 million doing the identical and Quintana Roo’s authorities spent $1.7 million to fight sargassum.
For his or her half, resort managers have spent 1000’s of {dollars} hiring cleansing personnel to maintain seashores acceptable for beachgoers.
In 2024, spending is predicted to be related.
Seaweed video report from Playacar, Mexico:
