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The Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt is a massive, periodic gathering of brown macroalgae drifting in the tropical Atlantic Ocean. Made up of the buoyant seaweed Sargassum, this natural substance has historically played a role in the ocean’s ecosystem, offering nourishment and habitat for a variety of marine species. The term “Sargassum” is derived from the Portuguese word “Sargaço,” which translates to grape (as sailors believed the seaweed resembled small grapes), and early voyagers, including Portuguese and Spanish mariners, named the Sargasso Sea accordingly.
Nevertheless, the event called the Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt signifies something considerably more extensive and alarming. Spanning thousands of kilometers from the shores of West Africa to the Gulf of Mexico (it’s so vast it can be observed from space), this seaweed belt has turned into a continual occurrence that impacts coastlines throughout the Caribbean and the Americas. When it washes onto shores and starts to decompose, it emits toxic gases that present a health hazard to local communities. While Sargassum is crucial to ocean ecology, its excessive presence has evolved into an escalating environmental and public health issue.