Tanada wrote:Isn't Sargossa weed edible? And usable for livestock feed if nothing else?
Not a clue. On Montserrat I was told that after the volcano cattle went wild and they ended up with more cattle than people. Supposedly the UK government sent us shooters to cull the herd, leaving the carcasses to rot as there was no butcher shop to handle them. Seems to me they could have just let the population harvest the animals. But I don’t know, maybe the folks do t have a culture that allows that?
I did find this on Wiki
Sargassum crisis in the Caribbean Sea Edit
In summer 2015, large quantities of different species of Sargassum accumulated along the shores of many of the countries bathed by the Caribbean Sea. Some of the affected islands and regions include the Caribbean coast of Mexico, the Dominican Republic, Barbados and Tobago.[12]
The algae washes ashore, piles up on beaches, and decays, often causing a foul odor, releasing fumes of sulphur compounds that rust metals, that can turn taps black in shore houses, damages modern conveniences, and causes respiratory problems, particularly for asthmatics. 52 patients were recorded by a single doctor in Guadeloupe with Sargassum-related symptoms. Insurance problems arise for tourist operators and homeowners, where the household and business losses do not fall into previous insurance categories. Wildlife also suffers; for example, sea turtle hatchlings that die on their way to the open water. The affected countries and territories are discussing causes of the outbreak, potential solutions, and the negative effects on tourism. One method of cleaning is by spade and barrow onshore, and it can be collected by raking boats offshore. Barrages of shallow nets floated by long buoys can be used to ward off algae drifts, depending on wave height and current. On the Caribbean island of Saint Martin, backhoes are also used in the process of clean up once the sargassum weed reaches the shorelines.[13][14]
Researchers say that the Sargassum outbreak started in 2011, but it has become worse over the years. As the sargassum is cleaned up on the shorelines, in a matter of a week the shorelines are once again filled in masses. It is still a recurring problem to this date. There are several factors that could explain the proliferation of Sargassum in the area in recent years. These include the rise of sea temperature and the change of sea currents due to climate change. Also, nutriments from agricultural fertilizers and wastewater from the cities, that end up in the sea, could also make the algae bloom.[12]