Cozumel Seaweed on Beaches

Sargassum on Cozumel Beaches: What it is & how it can be used

Cozumel’s winter winds have brought in unusual amounts of Sargassum seaweed to our island’s shores.  In fact, employees from the Department of Ecology, the Police Cadets, and even some helpful island visitors have been hard at work removing the algae, which smells less than pleasant,  from Cozumel beaches.  Even President, Fredy Marrufo posed for photos during one of the clean-ups, and stated that it’s important to keep our beaches clean and preserve our island’s image.

While it’s not unusual for Sargassum to wash ashore on Cozumel during the winter, the amount that has arrived this season has been much more prominent than prior years.  The pestilent phenomenon is not expected to last for long since winter north winds are expected to blow the algae field off Cozumel shores.  In the meantime, the sargassum is being used as a natural plant fertilizer, due to it’s high nutrient content.

While Sargassum, which derives its name from the Sargasso sea where it originated, may look bad, and even smell bad, the brown algae, does offer a suprising number of benefits.  Also known as Gulfweed, is free-floating ecosystem that provides shelter, and a home for many forms of marine life.  Sargarssum can also be used an efficient natural fertilizer, and has been shown to prevent sand erosion.

For more great Cozumel Information

This story originally appeared in the weekly Cozumel 4 You NEWS – the island’s number one source of positive information about our island!  Be sure and subscribe to the weekly NEWS to find out all the island events!

 

Laura Wilkinson
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