Massive Sargassum Influx on Caribbean Shorelines linked to Climate Change: Hazard or Hope
By Dr. Rahanna Juman, Director (Ag.) and Wetlands Ecologist For yet another year, massive quantities of Sargassum are seen washing up along Caribbean coasts. This unprecedented, massive, episodic influxes of floating sargassum seaweed on coastlines was first observed in 2011 and has had significant negative impacts, particularly on coastal communities and livelihoods, public health, tourism and fisheries (UNEP 2021). This issue therefore represents an emerging hazard for a region that is already subject to numerous hazards and indeed, various countries in the Caribbean have declared national states of emergency with respect to sargassum influxes (Desrochers et al. 2020). This new source of sargassum is likely...
Another ‘Golden Tide’ on our Shorelines
By Rahanna Juman, Director (Ag.)Institute of Marine Affairs For yet another year, massive quantities of Sargassum are seen washing up along our coasts and is causing concerns among fishers and other beach users. This new source of sargassum is now linked to climate change and ocean eutrophication, and these are likely to continue supporting significant sargassum blooms into the future. As such, annual mass influxes of sargassum into the Caribbean Sea are now being considered as the 'new normal', requiring sustainable management responses and long-term adaptation (Desrochers et al. 2020). Pelagic (free-floating) sargassum, a brown alga from the equatorial Atlantic, comprises a mixture of two or...
Marine Macroalgae; Its Pivotal Role in Three Major Tropical Ecosystems
Algae are grouped into three major divisions based on pigmentation, (green, red and brown) and play key roles in the development and maintenance of marine ecosystems. ...
Sargassum – A Visitor to Our Beaches
While we are home, another visitor is washing up on our beaches, the Sargassum seaweed....
