Massive Sargassum Bloom Washing Up on Florida Beaches – Prevention Methods and Equipment to Keep This Off of Your Beach
There is currently a giant mass of brown, stinky, seaweed known as Sargassum headed for the beaches of Florida, the Caribbean, South America, and even parts of the Gulf of Mexico. This Sargassum bloom is nearly 5,000 miles long and will no doubt be a disruption to countless summer vacationers, resort owners, and residents of these areas this summer. So why is this happening and what can property owners do about it? Learn more below about how you can prevent this from washing up on your beaches and save yourself months of expensive and messy cleanup on the shore.
What is Sargassum?
According to NOAA, Sargassum is a type of large, brown seaweed that floats in the ocean in large, island-like bunches and never attaches to the seafloor. Many fish, birds, crabs, shrimp, and other types of marine creatures make these structures their home and find food, refuge, and even breeding grounds among the many parts of the seaweed. Because of this, the Sargassum clumps that wash up on the beach can be dangerous to people unfamiliar with it as well as the unsuspecting animals that live inside these massive clusters.
Since 2011, the Atlantic Sargassum belt has grown and continues to do so every year. It grew to problematic proportions in July 2018 when over 20 million tons washed along the shorelines in the tropical Atlantic.
When can You Expect It?
According to the NASA Earth Observatory, peak times for Sargassum to reach high density levels and hit shorelines is usually June or July, but several news reports are saying this can be expected in as early as late April to the middle of May. Some sections have already started coming in and hitting the shorelines, but the worst is yet to come.
Map of Sargassum density from the NASA Earth Observatory
How Can You Prevent It?
It is widely agreed that in-water collection of Sargassum is greatly preferred to shore collection. This because it prevents the removal of sand and the damage to coastal vegetation in some areas. How can you stop it in the water to collect it later? You can divert and deflect this seaweed and Sargassum from ever reaching the beach with containment boom!
That’s where ACME Environmental’s specialty designed seaweed containment boom can help! One of the best ways to prevent Sargassum from smelling up beaches and hurting the beautiful ocean scenery is to stop it from ever reaching the beach. Using exclusion seaweed booms or barriers blocks off parts of your shoreline to keep the Sargassum bloom at bay. Our seaweed containment boom creates a barrier with a permeable skirt to allow for water to come through but stops the seaweed and Sargassum upon contact. It’s made from our 22oz blue PVC fabric to blend infor low visibility from beach goers!
ACME Environmental is ready to help you keep your beaches clean and beautiful, and protect the wildlife that lives in these floating Sargassum habitats.
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Download the brochure at the link below or submit the ‘Request a Quote’ form to get more information!
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Sources
https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/151188/a-massive-seaweed-bloom-in-the-atlantic
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/seaweed-florida-sargassum-bloom-grows-beaching-events/
https://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/facts/sargassum.html
https://www.dcnanature.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/DCNA-Sargassum-Brief.pdf