The East Coast Terror: Sargassum Seaweed

 What is Sargassum Seaweed?

Sargassum, also called gulfweed or sea holly, is a type of large, brown seaweed that floats on the surface of the ocean. Unlike many other types of seaweed, it never attaches to the seafloor. This type of seaweed is very abundant in the Atlantic Ocean from January to May (the Dry Season). It almost looks like a moving island, due to the large mats the seaweed forms in the ocean. It is deposited along the coastlines of Trinidad and Tobago.

Figure 1: showing Sargassum mats in a Bay in Trinidad and Tobago (TEMA 2022)

Where does the Sargassum come from?

Sargassum originates from two main sources, the Sargasso Sea, located in the Northern Atlantic Ocean, and the Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt. The Atlantic Current is responsible for the movement of Sargassum and the deposits that are made along the West African Coast, the Eastern South American Coast, and throughout the Lesser Antilles.

Figure 2: showing the circulation of Sargassum Seaweed in the Atlantic Ocean (Ocean71, 2014)

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly:

The Ugly:

It is no secret that Sargassum deposits along our East Coast ruin our beautifully aesthetic beaches. When the seaweed begins to decay on our shores it also releases a pungent odour that affects the coastal communities.

Figure 3: showing Sargassum seaweed washed up on the shores (TEMA 2022)

The Bad:

This Sargassum Seaweed acts as a moving habitat for many marine animals meaning that fauna not native to Trinidad and Tobago are often brought in by travelling with the Sargassum. In an interview in 2019, fishermen on Mayaro gave eyewitness accounts of seeing baby alligators floating in on the mats of seaweed. This acts as a highway for foreign animals to enter our waters and if they survive, the possibility of them becoming invasive is very real.

Figure 4: showing Little Rock Tobago (Elspheth Duncan 2022)

The Good:

One might think, what possible good can come from this overwhelming amount of seaweed? It can potentially be used in compost or as a fertilizer. Seaweeds, especially brown seaweeds like Sargassum have been used as fertilizers around the world for many years. Since sargassum is naturally deposited in Trinidad and Tobago, we can change this nuisance into a resource. Sargassum seaweed has been proven to enhance the growth of seedlings. With this information in mind, we can first extract the seaweed from our shores (essentially clean up the beach), and then process the seaweed into a potting fertilizer thereby eliminating the issue of the aesthetic degradation of our beaches and reducing the need for imported fertilizers. 

Figure 5: Johanan Dujon making Sargassum based fertilizers in St Lucia (Cayman Compass 2019)


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