Submitted by Kevin Silverstein on the 2018 winter session program in Barbados sponsored by the Department of Geography…
Hello again! I have been enjoying my time on the island, it is continuously beautiful here. This week, we took a coastal field trip and observed the problem of Sargassum Seaweed. The island is plagued by onsets of it consistently. The seaweed comes in from the surf and completely covers the beach. There has been various speculation on its source of origin. Some reports suggest it comes in from Mexico and others say it drifts in from Chinese waters. While it poses no threat to human health, the seaweed is considered a nuisance. Bajans have tried using it as fertilizer, as a repellent to invasive African Snails, and have even tried to make soup out it. No matter what is done with it, tons continue to drift in. It is posing a serious threat to the tourism industry of Barbados. Nobody wants to sit on a beach covered in stinky seaweed! Fortunately, there are numerous beaches still unaffected, buying the Bajan government more time to find a solution.