AmbergrisCaye.com Home Forums About Belize Nature The Journey of the Sargassum

Report from the Rivera Maya in Mexico (just to our north) - they have a color coded alert system and report removal in tons.


As of June 9

An article out of Miami about the excess Nitrogen gas levels registered

The influx of Sargassum on Ambergris Caye blamed for the death of juvenile fish

The persistent inflow of the Sargassum seaweed is taking a toll on juvenile fish around Ambergris Caye. As a result, vast amounts of small to medium dead fish are floating around the mangroves on the lagoon side of the island. Some of the species observed included pufferfish, barracuda, bonefish, reef fish, and young snapper. Sargassum is the main suspect as it makes its way through the mangrove channels that snake along our island borders. The Hol Chan Marine Reserve (HCMR) personnel is aware of the situation and is testing water in the different areas where the Sargassum accumulates. According to them, the oxygen levels near the island's eastern coast and the lagoon side are low. This is catastrophic for juvenile marine species that grow and develop in these shallow waters.

Large amounts of Sargassum consume oxygen, leaving fish gasping for air near the shore and, in this case, shallow mangrove areas. The most affected are juvenile fish near the coast and mangroves and return to the open sea once they have matured. HCMR agrees with the observation of islanders like Elito Arceo, who believe that the fishing industry may be impacted if more juvenile species continue to be affected. Arceo said that fewer fish would make it back to the open sea if nothing is done, resulting in the decline of fish and lobster populations. Therefore, it is essential to find a solution to decrease Sargassum beaching on the island. Residents on the island are advised not to consume these dead fish which can be tainted with harmful substances.

Click here to read the rest of the article in the San Pedro Sun

The SPTC Sanitation Department has been working tirelessly to keep up with the Sargassum issue. The entire team has been assigned to address the issue.

San Pedro Town Council

The Sargassum amount in the Caribbean will likely increase continuously into the summer...



No Good News For A Sargassum Free Summer

According to the USF Optical Oceanography Lab, the Abundance of sargassum recorded in May in the Caribbean Sea and West Central Atlantic has set a new historical record. It is expected that the amount of sargassum in the Caribbean Sea will continue to increase during summer leading to more beaching events.

Large amount of Sargassum was observed in CWA, i.e., the region east of the Lesser Antilles and in the entire Caribbean Sea. Moderate amount has been transported from the Caribbean to the Gulf of Mexico (GoM), the Straits of Florida, and along the east coast of Florida following the Loop Current, Florida Current, and the Gulf Stream, respectively. On the other hand, significant beaching events may have occurred around most of the Caribbean nations and islands. Looking ahead, 2021 will be another major Sargassum year, and the Sargassum amount in the Caribbean will likely increase continuously into the summer, accompanied with more beaching events.

Click here to read the rest of the article in the Ambergris Today

Sargassum Seaweed on Our Shores: When It's NOT Normal and What We Are Doing About It

Oceana: Read as this month's guest blogger, Rebecca Coutant of SanPedroScoop.com, shares all about the very real issue of sargassum in coastal areas and what's being done to combat it.

https://belize.oceana.org/blog/sarg...t-normal-and-what-we-are-doing-about-it#

A Sea Of Sargassum

The most recent sargassum forecast from the Belize Met Service says the "latest observations show an increase in sargassum over the area, there is now a medium to high chance of more sargassum affecting beaches across the country."

Well, the PG coast felt the full brunt of that this morning when a thick, floating slab of sargassum, bulked up by plastic garbage washed up along the shoreline, smothering it in an unsightly and smelly border of brown.

Tourism interests further up the country's coastline fear that the rolling waves of brown may be reaching them soon.

Channel 7

Outlook of 2022 Sargassum Blooms in the Caribbean Sea & Gulf of Mexico

March 31st, 2022, by University of South Florida Optical Oceanography Lab )huc%usf.edu, [email protected])

The maps below show Sargassum abundance, with warm colors representing high abundance. In March 2022, the overall Sargassum amount continued to increase, especially across the Caribbean Sea (CS). Compared with the last month, the Sargassum amount in the CS increased by 79%, with more Sargassum reaching the western CS where beaching events have likely occurred along the coast of Honduras, Belize, and Mexico. Meanwhile, moderate amount of Sargassum were still observed in the Central West Atlantic (CWA, i.e., the region east of the Lesser Antilles in the maps below). Gulf of Mexico (GoM) and Florida Straits were still largely free of Sargassum mats. In all regions combined, the total Sargassum amount increased from -4.3 million tons in February 2022 to -6.2 million tons in March 2022, comparable to that in March 2019 (5.5 million), but lower than in March 2018 (10.3 million) and 2021 (10.1 million). Based on these observations, we maintain our earlier prediction that 2022 is likely going to be another moderate or major Sargassum year.

Looking ahead, the westward transport of Sargassum will continue, resulting in increased amounts in CWA and CS. More Sargassum will reach the western CS, and some of the Sargassum will enter the GoM in April. We will keep a close eye on how Sargassum in the CS and the tropical Atlantic may evolve in the next two months. More updates will be provided by the end of April 2022, and more information and near real-time imagery can be found under the Sargassum Watch System (SaWS, https://optics.marine.usf.edu/projects/saws.html).

Photo: Heavy Sargassum in Playa Del Carmen - April 1st, 2022
Latest Sargassum Forecast for Playa del Carmen and more photos:
https://www.mexicanist.com/l/playa-del-carmen-sargassum-seaweed/

Sea of Sargazo invades Quintana Roo beaches; 79% increase in recale
For this April, as part of the Easter Week holiday period, the Quintana Roo Sargazo Monitoring Network predicts the massive arrival of large sargazo spots on the coast.

Aerial view of mats of sargassum approaching the shore at South Water Caye Marine Reserve. Photos byTom Hines

Up until 2011 Belize was never a Sargassum hot spot. It's influx is said to be caused by global warming in the form of higher temperatures and low winds, both of which can influence ocean currents. Islands of Sargassum tend to flow in a clockwise direction between South America and Africa but when the winds turn westward from January to May it bombards our shorelines. Like torpedeos, they shell us with an egg like stench which is not very good for our health and at such busy times is not very good for the tourism business either. This year, Earth day for me is more about doing our best to preserve what we have, while adjusting to the inevitable changes coming our way!