{"id":42272,"date":"2025-08-07T09:24:37","date_gmt":"2025-08-07T13:24:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/oceana.org\/?p=42272"},"modified":"2025-08-20T13:32:01","modified_gmt":"2025-08-20T17:32:01","slug":"sargassum-surge-whats-fueling-more-stinky-seaweed","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/oceana.org\/blog\/sargassum-surge-whats-fueling-more-stinky-seaweed\/","title":{"rendered":"Sargassum Surge: What\u2019s Fueling More Stinky Seaweed?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Have you seen reports of stinky seaweed blanketing beaches in Belize, Mexico, and even parts of the United States like Florida and the Carolinas? Well, this seaweed has a name: sargassum. And this year, there\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/optics.marine.usf.edu\/projects\/SaWS\/pdf\/Sargassum_outlook_2025_bulletin05_USF.pdf\">more of it than ever before<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>What is Sargassum?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sargassum is a type of brown algae that floats on the surface of the ocean. Unlike some seaweeds that grow on the ocean floor, sargassum <a href=\"https:\/\/oceanexplorer.noaa.gov\/facts\/sargassum.html\">grows on top of the water<\/a> using little gas-filled \u201cberries\u201d that help it float.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"gb-container gb-container-88790efd\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" data-src=\"https:\/\/oceana.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/18\/2025\/08\/aerial-2-2-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-42276 lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/oceana.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/18\/2025\/08\/aerial-2-2-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/oceana.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/18\/2025\/08\/aerial-2-2-300x400.jpg 300w, https:\/\/oceana.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/18\/2025\/08\/aerial-2-2-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https:\/\/oceana.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/18\/2025\/08\/aerial-2-2-1536x2048.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/oceana.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/18\/2025\/08\/aerial-2-2-scaled.jpg 1920w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 768px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 768\/1024;\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Aerial photo of sargassum in the waters off Belize\u2019s coast. Credit: Oceana\/Alyssa Noble. \u00a0<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>Out in the open sea, sargassum is actually a good thing! It is <a href=\"https:\/\/oceanexplorer.noaa.gov\/facts\/sargassum.html\">home to various marine species<\/a> including baby sea turtles, fish, and crabs. Commercially important species like mahi-mahi <a href=\"https:\/\/oceanservice.noaa.gov\/news\/sargassum\/\">eat the smaller marine life<\/a> in sargassum mats. It also helps the ocean stay healthy by making oxygen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sargassum washes ashore every year. It\u2019s a natural and important part of the coastal ecosystem. Birds like plovers, sandpipers, and red knots <a href=\"https:\/\/watermark.silverchair.com\/i2169-3358-2024-1-317s1.pdf?token=AQECAHi208BE49Ooan9kkhW_Ercy7Dm3ZL_9Cf3qfKAc485ysgAAA2gwggNkBgkqhkiG9w0BBwagggNVMIIDUQIBADCCA0oGCSqGSIb3DQEHATAeBglghkgBZQMEAS4wEQQMqwk4QdNyyhLgZe1yAgEQgIIDGwE2YeJRPLw9e8S0tZFVGqsSvI7o8E\">use the washed-up seaweed<\/a> to forage, rest, and hide from danger. <a href=\"https:\/\/wildlifeflorida.org\/seaweed-that-smells-like-trouble-but-isnt\/\"><\/a>Plus, as sargassum decomposes, it stabilizes the shoreline and provides nourishment to plants.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery alignwide has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-1 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1536\" height=\"2048\" data-id=\"42280\" data-src=\"https:\/\/oceana.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/18\/2025\/08\/Image-26.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-42280 lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/oceana.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/18\/2025\/08\/Image-26.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/oceana.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/18\/2025\/08\/Image-26-300x400.jpg 300w, https:\/\/oceana.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/18\/2025\/08\/Image-26-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/oceana.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/18\/2025\/08\/Image-26-1152x1536.jpg 1152w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1536px) 100vw, 1536px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1536px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1536\/2048;\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"720\" height=\"960\" data-id=\"42279\" data-src=\"https:\/\/oceana.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/18\/2025\/08\/Image-27.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-42279 lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/oceana.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/18\/2025\/08\/Image-27.jpg 720w, https:\/\/oceana.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/18\/2025\/08\/Image-27-300x400.jpg 300w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 720px) 100vw, 720px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 720px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 720\/960;\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>In Key West, Florida, these signs teach beachgoers about the benefits of sargassum. Credit: Oceana\/Catherine Uden<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But when too much sargassum grows and lands on the shore, it can become a problem. One that cities spend <a href=\"https:\/\/www.epa.gov\/habs\/sargassum-inundation-events-sies-impacts-economy#:~:text=Removing%20Sargassum%20from%20beaches%20and,Croix.\">millions of dollars<\/a> on annually.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Beyond being a public nuisance and its notorious rotten egg smell, large sargassum mats can accumulate high levels of heavy metals, microplastics, and other marine debris. They can <a href=\"https:\/\/oceanservice.noaa.gov\/news\/sargassum\/\">block sunlight<\/a> from plants and animals including coral reefs, according to <a href=\"https:\/\/usa.oceana.org\/blog\/what-does-noaa-do\/\">NOAA<\/a>. And when they decompose, they can reduce the amount of oxygen in the water, which can stress or kill plants and animals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sargassum also emits a gas as it decomposes that may irritate individuals with pre-existing <a href=\"https:\/\/coastwatch.noaa.gov\/cwn\/news\/2023-04-04\/sargassum-faq.html#:~:text=Having%20established%20a%20new%20population,vary%20from%20year%20to%20year\">respiratory conditions<\/a>. Large mats of sargassum also can lead to temporary beach closures, impacting tourism and the economy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Record Levels This Year<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" data-src=\"https:\/\/oceana.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/18\/2025\/08\/sargazo_Paola_Chiomante_0031-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-42281 lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/oceana.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/18\/2025\/08\/sargazo_Paola_Chiomante_0031-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/oceana.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/18\/2025\/08\/sargazo_Paola_Chiomante_0031-400x225.jpg 400w, https:\/\/oceana.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/18\/2025\/08\/sargazo_Paola_Chiomante_0031-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/oceana.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/18\/2025\/08\/sargazo_Paola_Chiomante_0031-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/oceana.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/18\/2025\/08\/sargazo_Paola_Chiomante_0031-2048x1152.jpg 2048w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1024px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1024\/576;\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">High levels of sargassum impact Mexico\u2019s Playa del Carmen. Credit: Paola Chiomante.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>Scientists say there is more sargassum this year than ever before in the Caribbean and Atlantic. According to the <a href=\"https:\/\/optics.marine.usf.edu\/projects\/SaWS\/pdf\/Sargassum_outlook_2025_bulletin05_USF.pdf\">University of South Florida<\/a>, 37.5 million metric tons (41.3 million US tons) of sargassum have been detected so far in 2025. \u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"774\" height=\"580\" data-src=\"https:\/\/oceana.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/18\/2025\/08\/image.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-42282 lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/oceana.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/18\/2025\/08\/image.png 774w, https:\/\/oceana.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/18\/2025\/08\/image-400x300.png 400w, https:\/\/oceana.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/18\/2025\/08\/image-768x576.png 768w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 774px) 100vw, 774px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 774px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 774\/580;\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A mat of sargassum washes up in Hopkins, a coastal village in Belize. Credit: Adrian Gongora.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>Like much of the Caribbean, Belize\u2019s beaches are being hard hit by sargassum. There, several areas are under a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.greaterbelize.com\/sargassum-crisis-hits-businesses-and-marine-life-in-san-pedro\/\">sargassum emergency<\/a> as thick mats of the brown algae continue to blanket the country\u2019s renowned shores. Crews with shovels and wheelbarrows are working around the clock, but the seaweed just keeps coming. Locals say the stench is overwhelming, the beaches are buried, and coastal businesses are feeling the heat as guests complain. According to Oceana staff in Belize, the fishing sector is also struggling due to the amount of seaweed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In Mexico alone, over <a href=\"https:\/\/riviera-maya-news.com\/marina-reports-more-than-44000-tons-of-sargassum-collected-so-far-this-season\/2025.html#:~:text=Regarding%20extraction%20during%20the%202025,and%20the%20national%20coastal%20ecosystem.\">44,000 tons<\/a> of sargassum have been removed from marine and coastal areas this year!<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"820\" height=\"546\" data-src=\"https:\/\/oceana.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/18\/2025\/08\/image-1.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-42283 lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/oceana.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/18\/2025\/08\/image-1.png 820w, https:\/\/oceana.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/18\/2025\/08\/image-1-400x266.png 400w, https:\/\/oceana.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/18\/2025\/08\/image-1-768x511.png 768w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 820px) 100vw, 820px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 820px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 820\/546;\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Crews remove large amounts of sargassum in Playa del Carmen. Credit: Paola Chiomante.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>Even <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/2025\/05\/15\/climate\/seaweed-bloom-florida-atlantic-ocean-climate\">U.S. beaches<\/a> are seeing more sargassum than usual this year, especially in spring and summer, just when families want to enjoy the beach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>What is causing this increase in stinky seaweed?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s a bit of a mystery! Scientists are still researching what is causing this influx of sargassum.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s possible that increasing <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nsf.gov\/news\/surge-nitrogen-has-turned-sargassum-worlds-largest\">runoff from land<\/a>, particularly from human sources like sewage, play a role in boosting nutrients in the water. These nutrients provide sargassum with more food to grow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Other potential causes include <a href=\"https:\/\/www.usf.edu\/marine-science\/news\/2025\/researchers-identify-tipping-point-that-caused-sargassum-inundations-in-the-caribbean.aspx#:~:text=The%20key%20drivers%20were%20wind,from%20Africa%20to%20the%20Americas\">changes in wind and ocean currents<\/a> that could push existing sargassum mats into new areas, where they have the chance to bloom even bigger.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Scientists are also studying whether <a href=\"https:\/\/www.usf.edu\/marine-science\/news\/2025\/researchers-identify-tipping-point-that-caused-sargassum-inundations-in-the-caribbean.aspx#:~:text=The%20key%20drivers%20were%20wind,from%20Africa%20to%20the%20Americas\">warming oceans<\/a> driven by fossil fuel pollution are making blooms more frequent and severe. When humans burn fossil fuels, it puts gases into the air that trap heat and make the whole planet, including the oceans, warmer. Warmer water might sometimes <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s43247-025-02074-x\">help sargassum grow<\/a> faster and float longer. &nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019ve encountered a beach overwhelmed by seaweed, you probably weren\u2019t thinking about fertilizer, currents, and climate change, but that just goes to show how interconnected the ocean really is.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Have you seen reports of stinky seaweed blanketing beaches in Belize, Mexico, and even parts of the United States like Florida and the Carolinas? Well, this seaweed has a name: sargassum. And this year, there\u2019s more of it than ever before. What is Sargassum? Sargassum is a type of brown algae that floats on the &#8230; <a title=\"Sargassum Surge: What\u2019s Fueling More Stinky Seaweed?\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/oceana.org\/blog\/sargassum-surge-whats-fueling-more-stinky-seaweed\/\" aria-label=\"Read more about Sargassum Surge: What\u2019s Fueling More Stinky Seaweed?\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":243,"featured_media":42273,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":true,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"location":[],"expedition":[],"campaign":[],"ppma_author":[244],"class_list":["post-42272","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","infinite-scroll-item"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v22.1 (Yoast SEO v26.0) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Sargassum Surge: What\u2019s Fueling More Stinky Seaweed? | Oceana<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Uncover the secrets of stinky seaweed, known as sargassum. 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