Sargassum within the Atlantic Ocean has reached report ranges in 2025, with an estimated quantity of 31 million tonsbased on the Sargassum Watch System (SAWS)an initiative of the Faculty of Marine Science on the College of South Florida (USF). This marks one 40% improve In regards to the earlier report in June 2022.
Prolong 5,500 Nautical miles From the west coast from Africa to the Gulf of Mexico, this monumental belt of floating algae influences a very powerful areas of the Caribbean, in addition to the shoreline of Florida, together with the Florida Keys” Key BiscayneAnd different standard vacationer areas. Satellite tv for pc photographs issued by USF and Noaa Coral Reef Watch illustrates the large dimension of this flowering, which is anticipated to proceed to broaden within the coming months.
The proliferation of those marine macro algae poses Surroundings, well being and financial challengesParticularly for tourism-dependent locations in Mexicothe United Statesand the Caribbean Islands. Researchers from each the US and Mexico attribute the expansion of Sargassum to a mixture of components, together with local weather change” Extreme use of fertilizerAnd The removing of vitamins From massive river basins such because the Amazon and the Mississippi.
Unprecedented quantity in 2025
The College of South Florida reported that in April 2025The whole quantity of Sargassum within the central and western tropical Atlantic Ocean reached roughly 31 million tons. This knowledge, collected through satellite tv for pc and processed through the SAWS system, symbolize the best stage that has been registered for the reason that monitoring started in 2011.
Based on Brian LapointeA researcher on the Harbor Department Oceanographic Institute by Florida Atlantic CollegeThis 12 months’s improve is roughly represents 40% extra Then the height of 2022. In reactions reported by CNN, Lapointe famous that the rising season remains to be ongoing, which signifies that the quantity can proceed to rise.
The closest concentrations are detected within the Central and West -atlanticfloat with ocean currents to the Caribbean Seathe Mexico waveand the East Coast of america. Important patches have additionally been noticed from the coast of Brazil and alongside the Lesser Antilles.
Influence on Florida, Mexico and the Japanese CaribbeaN
Current updates from Noaa Coral Reef Watch and native media resembling resembling The Miami Herald Point out that Sargassum has already began affect The east coast of FloridaWith seen construction on seashores resembling resembling Miami Seashore and ports resembling Dinner Key Marina. Images taken Might 8 Present massive lots of algae surrounding boats and washing ashore.
In Mexicothe Secretariat of Ecology and Surroundings (SEMA) by Quintana Roo has greater than deployed 9 kilometers of floating obstacles exterior the coast of Playa del Carmen” Puerto MorelosAnd Mahahual To restrict the touchdown of Sargassum. Governor Mara Lezama Share through social media that these efforts are coordinated with the Mexican Navy (Semar)who additionally performs offshore assortment -edits.
Different affected areas embody Japanese Caribbean Islands as Barbados” GuadeloupAnd Dominicthe place native vacationer associations one decline of resort bookings As a result of presence of Sargassum on seashores, based on the Caribbean Alliance for Sustainable Tourism.