Huge blankets of seaweed are smothering coastlines from the Caribbean to Mexico
Summary
Large amounts of seaweed called sargassum are covering beaches and coastlines in the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico. This seaweed is harming marine life, creating bad smells, and hurting tourism in these areas.Key Facts
- About 27 million metric tons of sargassum were recorded in the Atlantic, Caribbean, and Gulf of Mexico in July.
- The seaweed blankets miles of coastline, causing unpleasant smells as it decays on the shore.
- Scientists observed sargassum growing in large amounts locally for the first time, instead of just drifting from Western Africa.
- Sargassum usually moves across the ocean by currents and reproduces without needing another seaweed (asexual reproduction).
- The University of South Florida’s Optical Oceanography Lab released the report about the seaweed.
- The large seaweed mats are damaging marine life and affecting communities that rely on tourism.
- Experts say this situation is unusual and changes each year.
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