Although sargassum serves as a healthy ecosystem for marine species in the Sargasso Sea, its emigration towards the Caribbeandue to rising ocean temperatures and changes in . Re: Sargassum/seaweed problems this summer? Members who are knowledgeable about this destination and volunteer their time to answer travelers' questions. The Sargassum plight is in the Caribbean Sea, the Bahamas is in the North Atlantic. Traveling and working from trendy coworking spaces since 2015. The plant I was likely swimming frantically away from was a large brown alga called Sargassum. 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Here is the list of beaches with the lowest levels: Latest Cancun coast seaweed map, February 14, 2023 (Source: FB Red de Monitoreo del Sargazo de Quintana Roo. Since the problem was pointed out by environmentalists and hotel owners, governments have sought ways to clean their affected beaches in order to recover tourism. The planning board staff recommends approval of the proposal with additional provisions for monitoring of adjacent and downstream properties that could be affected negatively. ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-110846190', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');Bahamas and crush Florida? You can find the full report HERE. Digital Content Manager & Editor - It starts in April and finishes in October. Mexico : Norma Muoz: La gente no est informada de los efectos del sargazo, dice que las afectaciones las mand Dios, Mexico : EL SARGAZO NO SE CONVIERTE EN ARENA, France : Bilan du BRGM : les taux mesurs en arsenic et en chlorure de sodium dpassent les normes imposes, Sargassum is worsening the conditions of the poorest people in Ghana, Un mystre aux proportions ocaniques : des algues sargasses forment dsormais un pont vgtal entre lAmrique et lAfrique, Republica Dominicana : Sargazo llega hasta las costas de Saman afectando las aguas del mar, Mexico : Sargazo, amenaza para el turismo y la salud, Mexico: On Mexicos Caribbean coast, mountains of seaweed grow, Florida USA : Invasion of the seaweed. Although most seaweed live in the depths, with their roots attached to the bottom of the sea, these two species can live at the surface because they have gas vesicles, an adaptative mechanism that improves photosynthesis and allows them to spend their lives floating, explains Rosa Rodrguez, a marine biologist at the Institute of Marine Sciences and Limnology of the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM). 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. Latest sargassum seaweed map, September 16 (Source): Ojeda, who recently called the problem alarming, said that authorities are preparing for the largest amount of sargassum observed on Cancun beaches since 2018. According to Reportur , the amount of sargassum floating in the Central Atlantic Ocean in November 2022 increased to an astounding 6 million tons by December 2022. Thanks! The Keys struggle under the load of hundreds of thousands of visitors, vehicles and vacations. The different properties of sargassum can be used by sectors ranging from construction to pharmaceuticals or the energy industry. No purchase necessary. ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-110849776', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');Bahamas before (Cat) but the Sargassum is particularly bad this year and we needed to check, too, just for our peace of mind! More than six centuries ago, the first European expeditions that crossed the Atlantic to reach the American continent sighted a phenomenon known as sargassum. Dcouverte surprenante dans les sargasses au Mexique ! We'd love to share your columns, articles and photos and videos with our readers. (To satellites that detect infrared, Ed Yong wrote in The Atlantic, sargassum blazes like a bonfire.) Thats how the team computed that last year the belt contained more than 22 million tons of seaweed, sprawling from the Gulf of Mexico to Africas western edge. Travel Advisory 2023, Cancun Has A New Plan To Drastically Reduce Sargassum Levels This Year, Privacy Policy & Terms of Use & Editorial Policies, The beaches of Isla Mujeres are already seaweed free. Dcouverte surprenante dans les sargasses au Mexique ! Trust to install at South Beach a floating seaweed barrier anchored to submerged land owned by the applicant and by the State of Florida. SLS Baha Mar - need help deciding (option 2 is the Reef). Hu is the author of a study that in 2019 warned that a change in the ocean currents was increasing the possibility that recurrent sargassum blooms in the tropical Atlantic and the Caribbean Sea would become the new norm. "We're consuming as much as we can produce right now," said Daryl Jaschen, director of the islands' emergency management agency. Its nature and it doesnt care about your vacation and with seaweed there is always a risk it will show up. June 17, 2022. "This is the worst we've ever seen it for sure," said Melody Rouveure, general manager for a tour company in the Dutch Caribbean territory of St. Maarten, which shares an island with St. Martin. May 25, 2022, 12:49 AM This topic has been closed to new posts due to inactivity. When it's bad, it's awful. "They're essentially being smothered out," Krimsky said. Mexican Caribbean has seen an increase in Sargassum seaweed in the past few days. Save. The team suspects that the blooms are fed by fertilizers and other nutrients washing in from the Amazon River and nourished by upwelling from deeper waters off the coast of West Africa. The brown-gold plant sloshes up on the sand in thick, gloopy waves so dense that, from the air, it looks like soil. We are well past not my problem. Sargassum has the potential to destroy our ecosystems and damage our most important revenue stream. In December 2022, the overall Sargassum quantity in the central . Long Beach is covered with sargassum in Crest Church parish along the south coast of Barbados on July 27. 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. But large arrivals of sargassum have also reached the north coast of Brazil and even Florida, says Rodrguez. "It is absolutely devastating for the region.". we are independent & do not serve the interests of any government or tourism association. Can other stakeholders (private or public) at a local, state or federal level be engaged to provide additional resources towards mitigation? Lol, well its absolutely full of it now. 1. Re: Sargasso/Sargassum weed issues? It is abundant in the ocean and has leafy appendages, branches, and round, gas-filled structures called pneumatocysts, which are filled mostly with oxygen. Ricardo Mazalan/AP A study from the Quintana Roo Department of Navy (Semar) claims that as of this week, Sargassum seaweed would be less prevalent on the beaches in Cancun. She said large masses of seaweed have a severe environmental impact, with decaying algae altering water temperatures and the pH balance as well as leading to declines in seagrass, coral reef and sponge populations. This is misleading. MARTINIQUE : Les poissons dlevage sont bien morts cause des sargasses, BONAIRE: Sargassum Fertilizer Transfers Heavy Metals to Vegetables, MEXICO: Mexican Navy Admit Failure In Stopping Sargassum Deposits In Cancun, Mexico News : Cancun, Playa del Carmen and Tulum Being Overrun By Seaweed, Mexico : Cancun Braces For Worst Sargassum Seaweed Season In Five Years, Guadeloupe : Guadeloupe : Les sargasses saccumulent, les nuisances olfactives et visuelles reviennent, Mexico Riviera Maya : ADVIERTEN OPACIDAD EN EL TEMA DE DISPOSICIN Y MANEJO DEL SARGAZO, Mexico Riviera Maya : El sargazo se adelanta y pega con ms intensidad, Mexico : Sin recursos ni personal suficiente para contener el sargazo; an desatendidas, enormes extensiones en las costas del Caribe mexicano. ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-110026224', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');Bahamas and if we were to plan our trip there, where we should plan to stay to have the best chance of avoiding it - if it usually only affects certain beaches, etc? Unfortunately, the year 2022 will be no exception. When the seaweed decompose on the shore, they consume large amounts of oxygen, causing anoxia and emitting toxic gases like hydrogen sulfide and methane, which are very dangerous for humans and can cause the mass death of many species. Members who are knowledgeable about this destination and volunteer their time to answer travelers' questions. Its easy to spy on sargassum with satellites because the seaweed contains chlorophyll, a green pigment that reflects infrared light much more markedly than seawater does. The situation in the country, as described by the official: in Isla Mujeres, there is zero sargassum; in the municipality of Benito Jurez, on the Chac Mool beach, yesterday 5 percent was detected; in Puerto Morelos, on Pelicanos Beach, 20 percent; in Playa San Martin in Cozumel, 20 percent; in the municipality of Solidaridad, El Recodo beach, 30 percent; in Playa Maya in Tulum it is where more arrivals of this algae have been reported, 40%; while in Othn P. Blanco, in El Mahahual, 15%.. But she could use your help defraying expenses. Belize : SPTC tackling the Sargassum issue with a new response plan, 18/02/2023 NASA-USF & SIMAR-SATsum-Conabio Sargassum Seaweed Bulletin, 11/02/2023 NASA-USF & SIMAR-SATsum-Conabio Sargassum Seaweed Bulletin, Martinique : Sargasses, le littoral mconnaissable du Vauclin, 05/02/2023 Sargassum seaweed Satellite views. The loss of such water would force the government to use a type of diesel fuel that is more expensive and in limited supply, officials said. ), How To Maintain A Healthy Life While You Travel, Las Vegas New Orb-Shaped Music Venue Set To Open In Fall 2023 With U2 Appearance, The Most Instagram-Liked Airbnb Houses For 2023, FB Red de Monitoreo del Sargazo de Quintana Roo, 23 Best Beaches in CALIFORNIA to Visit in April 2023, 7 Best Hostels in Bocas del Toro for Solo Travelers, Party & Chill in 2023, Is CANCUN SAFE To Visit? For example, could there be increasing reports of sargassum in the Keys through social or traditional media that leads to more negative sentiment that compound impacts to visitor demand. Be sure to look at the map, very, very interesting. Far from being an isolated phenomenon, the problem is impacting a large part of the Caribbean. Ranger Ed and I did a quick walkabout of five Atlantic-facing Key West beaches on this weeks rainy Tuesday morning. Communiqu de Presse tlchargeable (format PDF) en Franais. 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. 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. Mexico : Norma Muoz: La gente no est informada de los efectos del sargazo, dice que las afectaciones las mand Dios, Mexico : EL SARGAZO NO SE CONVIERTE EN ARENA, France : Bilan du BRGM : les taux mesurs en arsenic et en chlorure de sodium dpassent les normes imposes, Sargassum is worsening the conditions of the poorest people in Ghana, Un mystre aux proportions ocaniques : des algues sargasses forment dsormais un pont vgtal entre lAmrique et lAfrique, Republica Dominicana : Sargazo llega hasta las costas de Saman afectando las aguas del mar, Mexico : Sargazo, amenaza para el turismo y la salud, Mexico: On Mexicos Caribbean coast, mountains of seaweed grow, Sargassum, the brown tide that is invading the Caribbean, Puerto Rico: Buscan soluciones en el Caribe al sargazo, que marc un rcord histrico, Afrique : Influence des algues sargasses (sargassum fluitans, sargassum natans) sur les activits socioconomiques le long du littoral ivoirien Cte dIvoire Afrique de louest, Puerto Rico : Record amount of seaweed chokes Caribbean beaches and shoreline, Mexico : SARGAZO PROVOCA MUERTE DE TORTUGAS EN MAHAHUAL. Like Atlas Obscura and get our latest and greatest stories in your Facebook feed. If you can't be bothered even to check the website a few times a week, subscribe to our newsletter. We have had several trips to the Mahahual-Punta Herrero area in Mexico absolutely ruined by it. We are looking into rescheduling later this summer but Ive been reading about how bad the sargassum is this year throughout much of the Caribbean. I get it and I am too frequently among them. According to Hu, the data suggests that the amount of sargassum that reaches the coasts is growing steadily. Got something to say? The floating golden brown carpets of sea algae are safe nurseries for fish and turtles. And the record amounts reported in recent years are even more concerning for scientists and island governments. Don't buy the story about lack of crime on Harbour Island Aug 10, 2022. "I was scared," he recalled feeling when he saw the historic number for June. On January 14, the first sargassum seaweed of 2023 has been found on beaches in the Riviera Maya, including Puerto Morelos and Playa del Carmen, earlier than previously predicted. The Sargassum plight is in the Caribbean Sea, the (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? Either theyre fibbing or the only Key West beaches theyve seen recently are at the sand bars. Consider supporting our work by becoming a member for as little as $5 a month. 2022, the overall Sargassum amount increased significantly across the tropical Atlantic, the Caribbean Sea (CS), the Gulf of Mexico (GoM), and the Central West Atlantic (CWA, i.e., the region east of the Lesser Antilles in the maps below), setting a new historical record for the month of April. It all began in the summer of 2011, when sargassum started to accumulate on the beaches of many destinations with crystal clear waters and white sands. Puerto Rico: Buscan soluciones en el Caribe al sargazo, que marc un rcord histrico, Afrique : Influence des algues sargasses (sargassum fluitans, sargassum natans) sur les activits socioconomiques le long du littoral ivoirien Cte dIvoire Afrique de louest, Puerto Rico : Record amount of seaweed chokes Caribbean beaches and shoreline, Mexico : SARGAZO PROVOCA MUERTE DE TORTUGAS EN MAHAHUAL. January 2022, the overall Sargassum amount increased significantly from December 2021 across the Central Atlantic and the Caribbean Sea (CS). Dominican Republic : Punta Cana SEAWEED Problem (2022): Everything You Need To Know!! "The sargassum stranding in the North Sound is unlike any we have experienced previously in terms of its location, weather conditions and scale," officials said. Every beach in the world will have seaweed, but the (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? Find beaches without seaweed in the Riviera Maya, Mexico. "We were able to observe firsthand the effects of the Sargassum influx in the countries we visited. He said hes received reports of Sargassum globs as thick as 5 feet in the Palm Beach Inlet that are preventing sea turtle hatchlings from getting to the beach. we always provide reliable information for tourists, travel agencies, journalists, scientists, academics, governments etc. Dec 07, 2022. She hates to write, but does it anyway. "We're very concerned about that.". "This year has been the worst year on record," said Lisa Krimsky, a researcher and faculty member with Florida Sea Grant and a water resources regional specialized agent at University of Florida. ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-110369316', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');Bahamas? South Floridas beaches see record volume this summer, Sargassum, the brown tide that is invading the Caribbean. Christine, CEO-Founder of Sargassum Monitoring. Punta Cana, like other Caribbean countries, will face a seaweed problem in 2022. Why is it produced, and where does it come from? Latest Covid Policy Aug 30, 2022. What transportation is available between the islands? hide caption. Recently back from a week on Briland Nov 08, 2022. Aug 23, 2022, 1:40 PM. Its affecting coastal ecosystems, sea grasses, coral reefs, theyre all being affected by this huge excessive amount of Sargassum.. IS there a sea weed problem too Atlantis beaches or is this only a problem in cancun? A photo or video to share? August 3, 2022 2:30pm Updated Coasts in Barbados and across the Caribbean are experiencing record amounts of seaweed. He noted it was 20% higher than the previous record set in May 2018. By analyzing satellite images collected over the past 19 years across the region theyve dubbed the Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt, researchers led by the University of South Floridas Mengqiu Wang have untangled some of the factors that contribute to the bloomsand predicted that shorelines will continue to be choked with seaweed. Technically, the Bahamas is not in the Caribbean, so we don't get the same levels of seaweed as in some other areas. ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-110840797', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');Bahamas is in the North Atlantic. We like to rough it and are not "resort" types, but if you can't go swimming (no pool), you might as well stay home. Communiqu de Presse tlchargeable (format PDF) en Franais. - they report the arrivals of sargassum in the entire Caribbean and more. Albert Bryan of the U.S. Virgin Islands said he asked President Joe Biden to declare a federal emergency for the entire three-island territory, not just St. Croix, but that didn't happen. The Biden administration declared a federal emergency after the U.S. Virgin Islands warned last month of "unusually high amounts" of sargassum affecting water production at a desalination plant near St. Croix that is struggling to meet demand amid a drought. I was wondering if it is typically not as bad in the (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? We are well past the who or what is to blame stage. But that Im here now, so pull up the drawbridge culture is as unproductive as is the sargassum happens every summer crowd. Thank you for support our work. But when thick mats wash ashore, things get foul. (Source: thecancunsun.com). The video and photo below are from Coco Beach in Playa del Carmen (January 28 morning). Kofi Jones/AP The phenomenon has broken records this year and has become one of the great environmental concerns of the coastal areas of the region. */, Travelinglifestyle.net is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com, Copyright 2022 Traveling Lifestyle Network, LLC. Get answers to your questions about Bahamas. Sargassum is a genus of large brown seaweed (a type of algae) that floats in island-like masses, never attaching to the seafloor. What is the best way to arrive in the Bahamas? hide caption. * Do not embed this map in a website or a blog without permission from Sargassum Monitoring. You claim this is a seaweed free area? 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 . ), 23 Best Places To Visit In April 2023 In The U.S. (TOP PICKS!