Environmental News from America:
Millions of tons of stinky brown seaweed washing up along Mexico’s beaches threaten post-COVID tourism rebound as international tourists plan summer travel, according to Spanish bank BBVA.
Sargassum seaweed, which gives a brown tint to the crystal clear waters of the Caribbean coast and emits a sewage-like stench when it washes ashore, reached an all-time monthly high in June, according to the University of South Florida. There were 24.2 million tons recorded in the month in the Caribbean region, up from 18.8 million tons in May.
The boom in sargassum poses a “significant threat” to the country’s post-pandemic tourism recovery, particularly in Quintana Roo state, home to oceanfront destinations like Cancun, Tulum, and Playa del Carmen, analysts from bank BBVA said in a research note.
The seaweed outburst defied massive daily efforts by Mexico’s Navy and local workers who scrambled to remove it from the water and sand.
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Source: Reuters