Miami Faces Worsening Seaweed Problem as Piles of Algae Wash Up on Beaches
Miami-Dade county is dealing with an increasing amount of sargassum, a type of floating brown algae, washing up on its beaches. The county spends $3m per year on sargassum removal, more than any other county in Florida.
The city of Miami is facing a worsening seaweed problem as piles of algae continue to wash up on its beaches. The situation is particularly challenging for Chris Bumpus, the chief of conservation for Miami-Dade county's parks, recreation and open spaces department, who is responsible for cleaning sargassum off 17 miles of county beaches.
More and more sargassum has been washing up on the beaches of south Florida, west Africa, the Gulf of Mexico, and the Caribbean. In July alone, 9,000 tons of seaweed were removed from Miami-Dade county beaches, the highest amount ever removed in a single month.
The county's seaweed removal efforts are funded by tourist development taxes paid by visitors who stay at hotels and short-term rentals. However, the amount of sargassum is expected to continue to increase, with scientists predicting that it will double every five years.
Brian LaPointe, a research professor at Florida Atlantic University Harbor Branch, attributes the proliferation of sargassum to the climate crisis. He believes that as the ocean warms, it leads to more evaporation and extreme rain events, which flush more nutrients from land into the ocean, contributing to the growth of sargassum.
Miami-Dade county first began efforts to address its seaweed problem in 2019. The county's annual seaweed removal budget is funded by tourist development taxes paid by visitors who stay at hotels and short-term rentals. In July, Miami-Dade county commissioners voted to petition the state to allow the county more flexibility to use beach raking equipment in more areas.
The situation is not unique to Miami, with other regions such as the Caribbean, Mexico, and the Dominican Republic experiencing similar problems. In Mexico, President Claudia Sheinbaum has announced a $115m national plan to combat sargassum, including employing ships that scoop the seaweed out of the water.
However, federal and state agencies in the US prohibit sargassum removal in open-water due to concerns for the sea life that lives in the floating seaweed mats. LaPointe believes that this could eventually change as research in his lab is showing that sargassum loses much of its marine life as it deteriorates and approaches the beach.
The impact of sargassum on the environment is significant, with LaPointe stating that it creates dead zones, strips the oxygen out of the water, and affects coral reefs and seagrass beds. This can also lead to the release of hydrogen sulfide, which presents a human health risk.
As the situation continues to worsen, it is clear that more aggressive seaweed removal efforts may be necessary. However, LaPointe believes that these measures will not address the underlying causes of the problem and that research on land-based nutrient sources is necessary to tackle the issue.
## The Impact of Sargassum on the Environment
The impact of sargassum on the environment is significant, with LaPointe stating that it creates dead zones, strips the oxygen out of the water, and affects coral reefs and seagrass beds. This can also lead to the release of hydrogen sulfide, which presents a human health risk.
## The Need for More Research
LaPointe believes that more research is necessary to tackle the issue of sargassum. He states that people are realizing that the problem is not going away and that it is getting worse. He believes that it is not only treating the symptoms but doing more research on the land-based nutrient sources that can be done something about.
## The Future of Seaweed Removal
The future of seaweed removal efforts is uncertain, with LaPointe stating that more aggressive efforts may be necessary. However, he believes that these measures will not address the underlying causes of the problem and that research on land-based nutrient sources is necessary to tackle the issue.
## The Role of Climate Change
LaPointe attributes the proliferation of sargassum to the climate crisis. He believes that as the ocean warms, it leads to more evaporation and extreme rain events, which flush more nutrients from land into the ocean, contributing to the growth of sargassum.
## The Impact on Human Health
The impact of sargassum on human health is significant, with LaPointe stating that it can lead to the release of hydrogen sulfide, which presents a human health risk.
