The creeping threat of the Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt

AlaPlaya

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The Guardian published an article on a few possible ways to solve the sargassum problem. I do agree with their analysis that half of the battle is raising awareness.

 
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windeguy

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Fed by human activity such as intensive soya farming in the Congo, the Amazon and the Mississippi, which dumps nitrogen and phosphorus into the ocean, the sargassum explosion is by far the biggest seaweed bloom on the planet
So the solution is to stop the soya farming. What are the chances that will happen?
 

AlaPlaya

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So the solution is to stop the soya farming. What are the chances that will happen?
It won't. I think we're past the point of being able to stop it entirely, and need to focus on remediating/removing it.

I always thought it would be a good idea to use it as fertilizer, but I didn't realize it had such a heavy metal component. Now I like the idea of using it to make building blocks. I'm interesting in the idea that they can also sink it to the bottom of the ocean. I knew SOS carbon was working on technology to collect it, and are building a processing facility in Punta Cana, but I didn't realize they are planning to sink it to the bottom of the ocean.

Sources: https://phyconomy.net/articles/sos-carbon-caribbean-sargassum/ , https://soscarbon.com/
 
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chico bill

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It won't. I think we're past the point of being able to stop it entirely, and need to focus on remediating/removing it.

I always thought it would be a good idea to use it as fertilizer, but I didn't realize it had such a heavy metal component. Now I like the idea of using it to make building blocks. I'm interesting in the idea that they can also sink it to the bottom of the ocean. I knew SOS carbon was working on technology to collect it, and are building a processing facility in Punta Cana, but I didn't realize they are planning to sink it to the bottom of the ocean.

Sources: https://phyconomy.net/articles/sos-carbon-caribbean-sargassum/ , https://soscarbon.com/
Well those small boats will likely not make much of a dent to the miles of it accumulating.
It seems it is here to stay and certainly ruined by last beach experience in Punt Cana
 

windeguy

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Well those small boats will likely not make much of a dent to the miles of it accumulating.
It seems it is here to stay and certainly ruined by last beach experience in Punt Cana
Is this currently a problem in Punta Cana?
 

keepcoming

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Is this currently a problem in Punta Cana?
It is more of a problem in the "summer" months. Around late April/May to Sept/Oct. It seems to be getting worse each year, some resorts getting more than others. My understanding is that the area around Bayahibe does not seem to have issues with this as Punta Cana does.
 
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AlaPlaya

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It is more of a problem in the "summer" months. Around late April/May to Sept/Oct. It seems to be getting worse each year, some resorts getting more than others. My understanding is that the area around Bayahibe does not seem to have issues with this as Punta Cana does.
In December 2022, there were still mountains of it along the beach in El Corecito/Los Corales, but further north towards Playa Blanca (which seems to have had a lot of erosion) there was hardly any.
 
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drstock

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Cabarete
Cabarete beach this morning after the clear up. Not much left visible by the time I got there but they had buried a lot.
20230310_101814.jpg
 
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william webster

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FLA reports that the seaweed mass is growing fast thanks to the run off from US rivers carrying fertilizer

Makes the problem much worse
 
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chico bill

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No one dreams of a Caribbean weed vacation.
The vacation party plans will come to an end fast if this scourge isn't reversed.
Hanging out at the pool with umbrella drinks won't suffice, and which couple wants to go for long romantic walks on rotting Sargassum ?