A Prof from Harbour Branch Oceanographic Institute In Florida reporting on a mass of Sargassum twice the width of the USA heading to Florida from the Caribbean.
The main issues reported….. it might upset Spring break and tourism……. Give is a break!
The Sargassum caused by pollution from Brazil and Africa and fed by inputs from the Caribbean, can double in mass everyday 10 days. Once it has used up all the nutrient such as phosphate, nitrates, and trace nutrients, the natural flora, phytoplankton that are the root of the Atlantic food chain are deprived. This leads to a crash in zooplanktonic animals, fish, birds and whales. The impact to the ecosystem is colossal. When we crossed the Atlantic last year in s/v Copepod, there were less than 1 zooplankton in 80 litres of water, there should have been at least 1 in every litre of water. When we reported on this last year, we were reported as being alarmist, well it’s started. The alkalinity of the water will be reduced, there will be a drop in pH and there could well be a localised cascade reaction. By localised I mean right across the Atlantic Ocean between 15 to 30 deg North and South.
Once the Sargassum has used up all the phosphate it starts to take Arsenic and heavy metals out of the oceanic water. When the Sargassum decomposes in Mangroves and on beaches of the Caribbean, arsenic is released back into the water, killing life in the Mangroves and coral reefs. These habitats are the breeding grounds for 25% of all the fish in the Ocean.
We are witnessing the death of an Ocean, and all they are concerned about is Spring Break….
The GOES report https://lnkd.in/ev6_2cXN