Caribbean sargassum seaweed map. ABOUT SARGASSUM; THE HUB; MONITORING; MANAGEMENT; .

Caribbean sargassum seaweed map Addressing this issue solely as a Since 2011, massive, episodic influxes of floating sargassum seaweed inundating Caribbean shorelines have manifested as an emergent coastal hazard and a recurring external shock to the systems of Caribbean Small Island Developing Coral might be one of the most visible animals affected by sargassum, but is not the only one. The challenge has since In 2024, the seaweed season in the Cancun Area is in full swing and sargassum is invading the beaches across the whole Mexican Caribbean coast. This gas has an unpleasant odor The spring of 2023 brought headlines about “giant blobs of seaweed” 1 —a brown alga called Sargassum—hitting Atlantic Ocean beaches from Florida through the Caribbean and South America. The research team also analysed the chemical make-up of the sargassum to determine its potential to be used as fertiliser, or turned into biomaterials including cardboard and paper. Coastal areas in St. It's goal is to provide scientists and other interested parties the ability to track Saragassum in near-real time. Croix, USVI because of Sargassum clogging vital equipment. April 22 – 30. But it is harmless (except for some foul smells) and is unpredictable. This year, however, tourists may have noticed something not-so-pleasant awaiting them on the beach: stinky, brown sargassum. png Audrey Hasson 2024-11-14 14:04:21 2024-11-14 14:04:21 IOC-UNESCO Publishes Key White Paper Addressing Sargassum Seaweed Crisis in Atlantic Regions. Mary, Portland, St. In September 2022, the overall Sargassum amount in the central Atlantic A final and solid resource for real-time sargassum seaweed maps is the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration‘s Ocean Viewer Satellite Seaweed Detection and Monitoring From Space. After In retrospect, 2011 was just the first wave. While Sargassum plays an important role in the health and biodiversity of open ocean ecosystems, it can also be harmful in If Sargassum Monitoring posts photos of sargassum arrivals throughout the year on its maps, there is no longer a sargassum season. Called sargassum, the macroalgae is washing up on Caribbean beaches every spring PDF | On Jun 2, 2021, Shelly-Ann Cox and others published Sargassum White Paper: Turning the crisis into an opportunity 2021 | Find, read and cite all the research you need on ResearchGate This map shows the pathway by which Sargassum exits the Sargasso Sea and makes it’s way to the tropical Atlantic and Caribbean Sea. About CHTA The Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association (CHTA) is a federation of 32 National Hotel Associations with more than 600 member hotels and over 300 allied members. Nearly every year since 2011, sargassum has inundated Caribbean, Gulf Outlook of 2023 Sargassum blooms in the Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico* May 31, 2023, by University of South Florida Optical Oceanography Lab (bbarnes4@usf. 2024 Sargassum seaweed forecast map & reports. The Sargassum quantity in the Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt (extending from A novel vehicle fuel system could help provide a solution to the troublesome seaweed increasingly plaguing the beaches of the Caribbean. John, their proprietary RNG powered a How are Sargassum stranding forecasts calculated ? Sargassum movement forecasting method : Each red dot corresponds to a sargassum patch identified by the “AFAI” thanks to satellites. The following pages seek to provide additional information to further educate the tourism sector and other stakeholders. A map showing the Sargasso Sea and the Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt. The Sargassum Watch System (SaWS) is designed to use satellite data and numerical models to detect and track pelagic Saragassum in near-real time. "In went to the caribbean in march (st maarten) and they were experiencing a seaweed problem too. Please note that the map indicates the location of SaWS Clickable Map. edu, szhang26@usf. Under optimal conditions, they can double in volume in a week ! Sargassum fluitans have thorny stems whereas, Sargassum natans have smooth stems. An unexplained invasion of Sargassum seaweed has been taking place on the coasts of Caribbean countries in recent years. But with climate change, increase of nutrients in the sea (due to agricultural runoff and untreated sewage discharge) it's growing out way of control, to the point of having potential to impact the tourism sector, which is a very important part of our The magnitude of Sargassum events in the Caribbean Sea since 2011 make us aware of the necessity to tackle these events, and macroalgal blooms generally, not only locally but on a regional scale 1. This map is from the Facebook page of the “red de Monitoreo del Sargazo Cancun” published on July 28th 2019. What is Outlook of 2022 Sargassum blooms in the Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico* April 30th, 2022, by University of South Florida Optical Oceanography Lab (huc@usf. Predicting the movement and impact of the GASB is complex due to the dynamic nature of oceanic and February 2023 Sargassum Map courtesy Professor Chuanmin Hu, USF College of Marine Science. These include the rise of water temperature and Outlook of 2023 Sargassum blooms in the Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico* March 1, 2023, by University of South Florida Optical Oceanography Lab (bbarnes4@usf. Cancun – Tulum – Playa del Carmen – Puerto Morelos – Holbox Sargassum map and Traffic light North Quintana Roo zone. It was the fourth year in what has become an Sargassum is a type of floating brown algae that provides food, protection, and habitat for many marine species. #1 resource on Sargassum seaweed blob, update, sargassum-free beaches in Florida, Cancun, Mexico, Caribbean. Under Unprecedented massive landings of sargassum floating algae have been observed since 2011 along the shorelines of a huge area encompassing the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea. Please note that the map indicates the location of the Sargassum, Dec 28, 2024 · Conclusion and future outlook for the Caribbean’s beaches. The annual sargassum seaweed invasion in the Caribbean has been very mild in 2024 due to lower sea temperatures. That year, massive rafts of Sargassum—a brown seaweed that lives in the open ocean—washed up on beaches across the Caribbean, trapping sea turtles and filling the air with the stench of rotting eggs. Sargassum seaweed, originally beneficial to the We will closely monitor and track Sargassum throughout the central Atlantic. There are continuous reports linking massive It’s an invitation to discover, preserve, and understand the Sargassum bloom that the Atlantic-Caribbean region has been experiencing annually since 2011. Areas affected by the seaweed invasion include Barbados, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Puerto Rico, It confirms that sargassum seaweed – which washes up by the ton on Caribbean and West African shorelines every year – spends months making its way to Caribbean shorelines. Sargassum is commonly found on coastal seabeds, except for two species growing on the ocean surface and drifting freely with ocean currents in the form of slicks: the The concern most people have related to seaweed in the Dominican Republic and the Caribbean, particularly Sargassum seaweed, is primarily due to the following reasons: Decomposition Odor: As Sargassum seaweed washes up on beaches and accumulates, it undergoes decomposition, releasing hydrogen sulfide gas. Since 2011, large influxes of sargassum are affecting the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico, representing a materialized risk for the environment, society, and economy of these regions. Where does the sargassum that washes up on our coastline come from? Sargassum is a brown seaweed of the family Sargassaceae, comprising a large number of species worldwide. Pelagic Sargassum seaweed is a brown macroalgae floating on the ocean surface. Funding AOML researchers created and deployed GPS tracked Sargassum-drifters in the tropical Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea in 2018. January [2023] had a historical record amount of sargassumhigher than any previous January. As the region continues to grapple with the impacts of this invasive species, it is essential to adopt a multifaceted approach that Riviera Maya seaweed map in Mexico. For more news visit our website: Outlook of 2023 Sargassum blooms in the Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico* March 31, 2023, by University of South Florida Optical Oceanography Lab (bbarnes4@usf. Using as core inputs the AFAI (Alternative Floating Algae Index) fields generated by the University of South Florida (USF), the algorithm analyses the AFAI values in the In some Caribbean countries, sargassum begins to wash up on the shore in June and continues until around October. Immerse yourself in nature’s wrath with our interactive map. . , the region east of the Lesser Antilles in the maps below), the Central East Atlantic, and the Gulf of Mexico When waves of sargassum - a type of seaweed - washed up on Eastern Caribbean shores seven years ago, people hoped it was a one-off. S. edu) The maps below show Sargassum abundance, with warm colors representing higher values. Beaches most affected by high concentrations of algae include Cozumel, Playa del Carmen, Tulum, Sian Ka’an, and certain areas between Cancun and Puerto Morelos. Forecasts and the seaweed already washing up suggest that 2024 will be another alarming year," says Farah Nibbs, assistant professor of emergency and disaster health systems at UMBC, studies the intersection of critical infrastructure and disasters in the Caribbean. "It presented immense challenges," says Hazel Oxenford, a fisheries biologist at The University of the West Cleaning the strainers daily might also be a good preventative measure in sargassum infested waters. Explore these once idyllic tropical paradises, now overrun by the inexorable tide of sargassum. e. These unprecedented and hard-to-predict influxes of sargassum, linked to ocean eutrophication and climate change, are having devastating impacts on Caribbean coastal socio-ecological systems. The goal of the “Sargassum Watch” citizen science project is to monitor the influxes of pelagic Sargassum on local coastal areas in Florida and the Caribbean. Unfortunately, this is becoming a more regular event in the Caribbean, and we’ll just have manage it. The 2020 Sargassum Map bears witness to the Sargassum bloom phenomenon, the non-natural origin of which is undeniably linked to human pollution. I’ll report back soon on what we experienced in Antigua. Let us guide you to unforgettable beach getaways by highlighting tourist accomodations that are in unaffected Oct 19, 2022 · Many islands in the Caribbean heavily rely on desalination for safe drinking water during the drought season. A state of emergency was recently declared due to a desalination plant failing in St. edu, yuyuan@usf. A series of interactive ArcGIS StoryMaps have been developed to highlight the sargassum-related research taking place through SargAdapt, MoniSarg and SARTRAC projects. Sargassum seaweed in Mexico and the Caribbean has been invading the beaches and ruining holiday plans for many travelers in the last few years and it’s not getting and better in 2024. "The sargassum invasion has worsened since it exploded in the region in 2011. Here you can find satellite maps and SaWS Clickable Map. CHTA is the largest representative of the private Researchers say that the sargassum seaweed growth is expected to continue over the next few months as the main bloom in the Atlantic Ocean expands. We have compiled a list of Caribbean beaches that have historically not been affected by the seasonal bloom of sargassum to help you with your travel plans. 5 million metric tons of Sargassum was detected in the central These experimental Sargassum Inundation Risk (SIR) fields provide an overview of the risk of sargassum coastal inundation in the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico regions. Overall, the Sargassum quantity in the Great Atlantic Sargassum Sargassum Monitoring and Forecasting in the Tropical Atlantic. A study published in the Marine Pollution Bulletin analyzed a massive sargassum influx that swamped the shores of the Sargassum Story Maps. ABOUT SARGASSUM; THE HUB; MONITORING; MANAGEMENT; -01-1030x365. However, accurately predicting which beaches Outlook of 2023 Sargassum blooms in the Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico* April 30, 2023, by University of South Florida Optical Oceanography Lab (bbarnes4@usf. Using as core inputs the AFAI (Alternative Floating Algae Index) fields An unwelcome visitor is headed for Florida and the Caribbean: huge floating mats of sargassum, or free-floating brown seaweed. Beaches most affected by high concentrations of algae include Seaweed is smothering Caribbean coasts from Puerto Rico to Barbados as tons of brown algae kill wildlife, choke the tourism industry and release toxic gases. Best of luck fighting through the blobs of sargassum seaweed blooms this season. These events have resulted in significant repercussions for coastal and marine ecosystems, their associated The world's biggest bloom of sargassum in the Atlantic Ocean is filled with plastic and bacteria that live on it – they could be the secret behind the seaweed's success. Forecast Sargassum Seaweed Riviera Maya Mexico. Map provided by the Dominican Government and ANAMAR Map validity date: December 01 to [] Sargassum influxes, now widely considered to be part of the ‘new normal’ have been impacting several Caribbean territories including Jamaica. The Sargassum fish, for example, is a small, frog-faced predator whose body has adapted to perfectly mimic the seaweed. It is imperative to recognize that sargassum arrivals are no longer solely Need info ABOUT avoiding SEAWEED IN TULUM? You’re in the right place if you’re worried about running into the pesky Tulum seaweed (AKA Tulum sargassum) that has been covering the shorelines along Mexico’s Barbados – September 19, 2024 – On Tuesday September 17, local deep-tech startup Rum & Sargassum unveiled a prototype of their innovative renewable natural gas (RNG), produced from Sargassum seaweed, Blackbelly sheep manure, and rum distillery wastewater. large amounts of sargassum have The Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt (GASB), a massive Sargassum bloom stretching from West Africa to the Gulf of Mexico, has been causing problems along the coastlines of the tropical Atlantic, Caribbean, and Gulf of Mexico nearly every year since 2011. Sargassum can clog power and desalination plant intake pipes. So far, we’ve published stories about monitoring, forecasting and management of sargassum influx events – with more Since 2011, huge volumes of sargassum seaweed have been periodically transported by ocean currents to the Caribbean. The photos and videos you’ll find here are meticulously dated and geolocated, offering exceptional and unique precision. This map is your ideal companion in the quest for dream destinations where the beaches are always pristine, and the waters crystal clear, without the inconveniences of sargassum. An over 8,000-kilometre-wide brown glob of seaweed, known as the Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt, is on the move and could potentially wreak havoc on beaches in Florida, Mexico and the Caribbean Outlook of 2022 Sargassum blooms in the Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico* October 4th, 2022, by University of South Florida Optical Oceanography Lab (bbarnes4@usf. As the region continues to grapple with the impacts of this invasive species, it is essential to adopt a multifaceted approach that Apr 7, 2023 · The map above shows Sargassum density in the central Atlantic Ocean (including the Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico) for March 2023. NMS – National Meteorological Service of Belize Updated on January 02, 2025 Disclaimer: The information is provided with the understanding that The National Meteorological Service makes no warranties, either expressed or implied, concerning the accuracy, completeness, reliability, or suitability of this product. Thanks to the Sargassum citizen science network, scientists and researchers have been able to highlight the three models that are invading the Caribbean. SaWS can provide local plant managers early warning Jun 18, 2024 · This map was released on MAY 1 and it suggests that the major arrival is coming in the next weeks/months. Thomas, Westmorland and St Catherine have borne the brunt of these influxes. Current seaweed Latest updates, photos, and daily monitoring of the sargassum seaweed problem in the Caribbean region. Matted piles swamped coastlines from Tobago to Anguilla. Overall, the Sargassum quantity in the Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt Since 2011, vast mats of sargassum seaweed have been washing up on Caribbean islands. 5 million metric tons of Sargassum was detected in the central Atlantic during This map shows an overview of the floating Sargassum as of 5 April and shows the daily mean Sargassum concentration over the last seven days (starting from 5 April 2023). Interreg Caribbean Call Open. I Probably the best synopsis of Sargassum I've read. We use collaborative target groups and the app “Epicollect5” to collect observational data of both the site and Sargassum species present before being uploaded onto the database. In June 2022, the Sargassum amount continued to increase across the tropical Atlantic, the Caribbean Sea (CS), the Central West Atlantic (CWA, i. their advice was to check the wind direction every morning and go to a beach on the opposite side of the island that the wind is blowing (if the wind is blowing in from the west, go to a beach on the east side) and it rang pretty true. 2 meter (4 feet) on the beaches of Barbados, recalls Joshua Forte. edu) The maps below show Sargassum abundance, with warm colors representing high abundance. The Apr 7, 2023 · This map shows an overview of the floating Sargassum as of 5 April and shows the daily mean Sargassum concentration over the last seven days (starting from 5 April 2023). At the event, entitled “Test Drive Zero” held at Guinea Plantation, St. The arrows on the map suggest the flow of the sargassum and the distance from the Caribbean islands. We share best practices for preserving coastal sea fauna and flora. This project is called the Sargassum Watch System and is based on derived satellite data. The sargassum layer is influenced by environmental conditions in the area, such as currents and winds. Know the Sargassum Seaweed There are dozens of Sargassum algae. Thanks for sharing. That year, massive rafts of Sargassum—a brown seaweed that lives in the open ocean—washed up on beaches across the Caribbean, trapping sea turtles and filling the air with the In 2024, the seaweed season in the Cancun Area is in full swing and sargassum is invading the beaches across the whole Mexican Caribbean coast. These experimental Sargassum Inundation Risk (SIR) fields provide an overview of the risk of sargassum coastal inundation in the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico regions. “Predicting the occurrence of Sargassum blooms will help us better understand their impacts on our ecosystems, and thereby improve our scientific advice in the management of our fisheries and protected species” said They have been always present in the Caribbean region, to the point of having a part of the Atlantic Ocean named: Sargasso Sea. Punta Cana – Bayahibe – Isla Saona – Samana – Cap Cana – Haiti Map provided by CARICOOS Updated on December 31, 2024 CARICOOS is the regional association for the coastal and ocean observing system for Puerto Rico and the U. We raise local sargassum issues to the global audience. Meanwhile, all previous monthly bulletins as well as daily updates through near realtime imagery can be found under the Sargassum Watch System (SaWS, The maps below show Sargassum abundance, with warm colors representing higher values. Sargassum seaweed in Conclusion and future outlook for the Caribbean’s beaches. Updated by Sargassum Monitoring, on September 04, Apr 20, 2023 · Monthly maps of Sargassum density in the tropical Atlantic from March 2022 to March 2023. Algae arrive from the open sea as large The Caribbean overcame significant challenges in 2022 as Sargassum washed ashore in unprecedented amounts. According to the University of South Florida , the sargassum bloom is expected to increase in size this year and a mass of the seaweed is already floating toward the West Coast of Florida in the Gulf of Mexico and will likely be the largest ever recorded. Based on current forecasts from “HYCOM” and wind forecasts Predicting Sargassum blooms in the Caribbean Sea from MODIS observations Mengqiu Wang1 and Chuanmin Hu1 1College of Marine Science, University of South Florida, St. The resorts all do a great job . Rum and Sargassum, a startup in Barbados in the Caribbean islands, is turning rum waste from distilleries and seaweed washed off onto the shores to produce bio-compressed natural gas to fuel cars. Since 2011, vast mats of sargassum seaweed have been washing In 2015, smelly mats of a brown macroalgae called sargassum piled as high as 1. The information may be used freely by In retrospect, 2011 was just the first wave. But don't let it be a deterrent for traveling south. Sargassum is a common type of brown algae that floats in dense mats along the ocean surface and represents a significant risk to the environment, society, and economy of regions in the Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico. More about that event can be found in a CoastWatch User Story here. But this was not the first time Sargassum has confounded beachgoers. Overview of Sargassum Research at UWI-CERMES. Pelagic Dive into the Sargassum Hub to discover more about the ongoing initiatives relating to the Sargassum phenomenon happening in coastal areas around the globe. Where is there no sargassum seaweed on the beach? Several factors could explain the proliferation of sargassum in the Caribbean in recent years. I've been traveling to the Caribbean for many years and just like the tides, Sargassum ebbs and flows (pun intended). They say it will eventually start drifting to the west of the Caribbean Masses of rotting seaweed blanket the Fundadores Park beach in Mexico’s Playa del Carmen region on July 4, 2021. Sargassum is a type of algae that never attaches to the sea floor, instead floating in clumps that can stretch for miles across the Conditions over the past decade around the Caribbean Sea, North Atlantic, and Gulf of Mexico, however, have been anything but normal. The official Sargassum map 2023 bears witness to this Sargassum seaweed phenomenon, which is not natural but a consequence of human pollution. The Sargassum seaweed invasion represents a complex challenge for the Caribbean, affecting its pristine beaches, marine ecosystems, and local economies. Once pristine sandy beaches are We are the world’s N°1 sargassum citizen science network. edu, huc@usf. This map is more than just a directory to choose your next [] Over the last decade, the Caribbean has seen massive, episodic influxes of pelagic sargassum negatively impacting coastal ecosystems, people’s livelihoods and climate-sensitive sectors. Red and orange areas show where Sargassum densities were the highest, in terms of the percent of Know the Sargassum Seaweed There are dozens of Sargassum algae. Petersburg, Florida, USA Abstract Recurrent and significant Sargassum beaching events in the Caribbean Sea (CS) have caused serious environmental and economic problems, calling for a long-term An over 8,000-kilometre-wide brown glob of seaweed, known as the Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt, is on the move and could potentially wreak havoc on beaches in Florida, Mexico and the Caribbean mitigation of Sargassum seaweed. In April 2022, the overall Sargassum amount increased significantly across the tropical Atlantic, the The maps below show Sargassum abundance, with warm colors representing high abundance. On shore, they pile up into a dead and stinky mass. The Caribbean would usually experience a few small mats of sargassum washing Saint Lucia is one of five countries participating in the ‘SargAdapt Project’ (full title: Adapting to a new reality: Managing responses to influxes of sargassum seaweed in the Eastern Caribbean as ecosystem hazards and opportunities), led by the Centre for Resource Management and Environmental Studies (CERMES) at the University of the West Indies (UWI) Cave Hill Every winter, millions of Canadians head down to the Caribbean. There have likely always been floating chunks of seaweed between the Caribbean and West Africa. During the spring and summer of 2011, coastlines on both sides of the tropical Atlantic were inundated Sargassum map 2021 Welcome to the discovery of the Official Sargassum Map for 2021 ! Get ready to immerse yourself in a world of fascinating information. At the start of the animation, small patches of Sargassum are scattered across the waters of the Caribbean Sea and the Sargassum-Free Hotels Map Welcome to our new Sargassum-Free* Hotels** Map. Data uploaded is available for use It represents a true invitation to explore, preserve, and understand the recurring and inexorable progression of the invasion of brown algae that the Caribbean region has been enduring since 2011. Outlook of 2024 Sargassum blooms in the Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico* February 1, 2024, by University of South Florida Optical Oceanography Lab yuyuan@usf. Roughly 5. According to Professor’s Hu’s data, sargassum levels in the Caribbean doubled each month between November 2022 and January 2023. fuxszyk rgxpfjp skpsfci qzmqv itusd sdtdd vktly molltvii lwc dwouqup