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Caribbean Sea - A massive bloom of seaweed known as sargassum has blanketed coastlines across the Caribbean and nearby waters, creating environmental and economic challenges, with scientists warning that the worst may still be ahead this summer.
According to a new report from the University of South Florida’s Optical Oceanography Lab, 38 million metric tons of sargassum were detected across the Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico, and the Atlantic Ocean in May, the largest amount ever recorded since monitoring began in 2011.
The previous record was 22 million metric tons in June 2022.
This sprawling belt of floating algae, called the Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt, has disrupted life from Puerto Rico to Guyana.
In Martinique, a school was forced to close temporarily due to the release of gases like hydrogen sulfide and ammonia, which can irritate the respiratory system.
On the island of St. Maarten, emergency cleanup crews used heavy machinery to manage overwhelming piles that produced a powerful odor.
While sargassum floating at sea provides a rich ecosystem for marine life such as sea turtles and shrimp, its arrival onshore suffocates coral reefs, kills wildlife, and drives away tourists with its smell and unsightly piles.
Cleanup efforts remain difficult, with concerns over disturbing sea turtle nests and the high costs of specialized removal vessels.
Scientists are still unsure why the blooms continue to grow, though they cite warming ocean temperatures, agricultural runoff, and shifting weather patterns as possible factors.
More sargassum is expected through June, with peak levels typically arriving in the summer and declining in the fall.