Turns out the 31 million-tonne estimate of sargassum drifting toward Florida, Mexico, and the Caribbean in May was seriously lowballing it — the actual mass is much larger.
Updated satellite analysis from the University of South Florida reveals the true size of the bloom: a staggering 38 million metric tonnes, the largest on record since tracking began in 2011.
That is also 22.5% more than mid-May estimates, as reported by Open Jaw.
"The peaks just seem to keep getting bigger and bigger year after year,” said Brian Barnes, an Assistant Research Professor at the University of South Florida ’s Optical Oceanography Lab, who told the Associated Press this disturbing trend is confounding experts. “It’s the million-dollar question. I don’t have a supremely satisfying answer.”
The massive floating mats of brown seaweed — harmless in the open ocean and even beneficial for marine ecosystems — becomes not just an eyesore when it washes ashore, but dangerous. It blocks sunlight, suffocating coral reefs, and emits ammonia and hydrogen sulfide, creating a “quite terrible” smell and posing respiratory risks.
In Martinique, for instance, a school was forced to close after decomposing seaweed released toxic gases.
Frank Comito, former CEO and Director General of Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association now working as a Special Advisor for the association, called the massive mats of sargassum “a challenge, but not affecting every single inch of the Caribbean.”
Still, clean-up is costly and complex. In St. Maarten, emergency crews with backhoes were called in after strong odors overwhelmed residents. Punta Cana has deployed offshore barriers, while French Caribbean officials are preparing to use seaweed-harvesting vessels — though these are, Comito noted, “massively expensive.”
Cape Canaveral’s beach in Brevard County is dealing with significant seaweed buildup as well. However, city officials have opted not to remove the washed-up seaweed to avoid disturbing active sea turtle nesting sites along the Space Coast.
With more sargassum expected in June, destinations across the region are racing to adapt — before the seaweed completely swamps summer travel season.
