HOUSTON – A giant blob of seaweed creeping in the Atlantic Ocean is headed to the Gulf of Mexico. It sounds like something from a horror movie -- except this blob isn’t eating people.
According to CNN, the seaweed blob, called sargassum, is the twice the width of the continental United States. It is described to smell like rotten eggs and expected to possibly bring a dump of harmful piles along the shores of Florida and other coastlines throughout the Gulf, which will dampen tourism season.
Sargassum has long formed large blooms in the Atlantic Ocean, which has been tracked by scientists since 2011, according to CNN.
Sargassum actually has environment benefits since it can be a floating habitat that provides food and protection for animals and fish, according to the Sargassum Information Hub.
The size and direction of sargassum blobs can be affected by factors such as rain, wind conditions and changes in nutrients.
This year, the bloom could be the largest ever, spanning more than 5,000 miles from the shores of Africa to the Gulf of Mexico. It has reportedly doubled in size between December and January.
The blob is expected to move through the Caribbean and into the Gulf of Mexico during the summer.
Why is it concerning for humans?
While sargassum can be a helpful ecosystem to animals and fish in water, it poses more environmental threats once it reaches land and beaches.
Sargassum piles up in mounds and emits toxins and a horrid smell that can be harmful for the respiratory system.
It can also wash up near shores and suck oxygen out of water, which can affect fish and other ocean life who live along shores.
What should people do when they see sargassum along beaches?
The City of Galveston on its Twitter page released a list of cleanup practices that are permitted, and others that aren’t permitted:
Permitted
- Only remove sargassum and vegetative debris a minimum of 8-feet wide and 6-inches tall (perpendicular to the shoreline).
- Relocate sargassum and vegetative debris directly to the dune area.
- Cleanup is limited to the use of front-end loaders, mechanized beach rake and tractors with rakes.
- Only do cleanup procedures during daylight hours.
Not permitted
- Working within four feet landward of the swash zone. Sargassum is to remain on the beach.
- Removing sand from the beach.
- Removing sargassum and vegetative debris from the same area more than once per day.
- Use of heavy equipment such as a road grader, skid steer, or steel-tracked equipment.
According to an NPR report, sargassum levels have been rising considerably since 2011, so much so that satellite images have been able to capture them.
Click here to read the full report.
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