What's up with all the SEAWEED on the coast?? (Corpus Christi: home, to move)

[ThanksABunch]

I visted the Port Aransas area every summer as a kid (throughout the 70s and early 80s)...and now again as an adult every other year or so. As a kid, we would spend almost the entire summer in Port A, usually arriving in mid-June...and I have to say I never recall seaweed being a problem like it has the last few years.

Why is the seaweed problem seemingly getting worse as time goes by?

Also...when does it usually disappear? I'm about to move down there and I was shocked to see photos of the beaches right now. They are all carpeted with seaweed.

Anyone have knowledge or experience with this? How long does it go on?

Thanks everyone!

[Mr. Football]

As I understand it, they used to sweep the beaches but now choose to leave the seaweed on the beach to help combat beach erosion.

[paransan]

Hi 'Bunch: Some years we get lots, some years we get a little, its all about what happens in the Caribbean and Equatorial Atlantic Ocean. As a kid (I grew up here in P.A.) I do remember summers when it was piled so high we literally could not see over it. Of course I was about 4 feet tall at the time. Most years, there is a hugh amount of seaweed (sargassum) that lies well offshore and never comes in, but travels in the flow of the gulf stream yucatan current up to the mouth of the mississppi river, then down back the way it came, as the summer changes to winter and the north winds begin. however, if the current of the Stream is not strong, and the southeast winds blow hard early and steadily, in it comes.
And yes it stinks, but it does pass, and it makes the sand stable and keeps the beach from eroding. I've used it for many many years as fertilizer and grows great tomatoes, but wow, it takes some getting used to in tonnage on the beach. We are cleaning it up and its a big arguing point how best to do that, but we're doing our best with what is allowable. It should be clear by July, so c'mon back.

[dapalmer184]

We were in Surfside, Tx this past week. The seaweed was horrible. I've never seen it so bad. I was wondering the same thing...why is it so bad?

[texan55]

paransan pretty much summed it up.

[baddoctor]

All of that plant growth in the sea is fulled by fertilizer runoff, especially phosphates.

it increases seaweed and algae growth. It often gets so bad that the water gets oxygen starved and fish can't survive.

Texas has lax restrictions on this sort of deal. In the past decade it has gotten worse with genetically modified crops and their associated supplements.

It kills my business as a commercial fisherman, I'm constantly having to go out further and further to get decent product.

[lonestar2007]

Originally Posted by baddoctor

All of that plant growth in the sea is fulled by fertilizer runoff, especially phosphates.

it increases seaweed and algae growth. It often gets so bad that the water gets oxygen starved and fish can't survive.

Texas has lax restrictions on this sort of deal. In the past decade it has gotten worse with genetically modified crops and their associated supplements.

It kills my business as a commercial fisherman, I'm constantly having to go out further and further to get decent product.

Thanks for drawing attention to this. I had never given it any thought, but makes perfect sense.

I know when I fertilize my pastures I always make a pass by the tank to sling some in to promote algae growth for the fish to eat on, but of course not enough goes in to affect the oxygen and therefore harm the fish.

This is sure a point to be taken into consideration.

[TXNGL]

The sargassum is home to an abundant amount of life. While it's not fun to walk through, it's very useful for the environment.

[TX75007]

Originally Posted by baddoctor

All of that plant growth in the sea is fulled by fertilizer runoff, especially phosphates.

it increases seaweed and algae growth. It often gets so bad that the water gets oxygen starved and fish can't survive.

Texas has lax restrictions on this sort of deal. In the past decade it has gotten worse with genetically modified crops and their associated supplements.

It kills my business as a commercial fisherman, I'm constantly having to go out further and further to get decent product.

LOL.

My guess is that you know very little about the life cycle of marine plant life. And much less about nutrient leaching and its sources and its effects. Or the laws governing the latter.

Sargassum is a "problem" everywhere. Ancient mariners hated the stuff.

Sargassum Weed frequently invades the beaches of Bolivar Peninsula in the srping and early summer.

NOAA Ocean Explorer: Life on the Edge: Sargassum

And its vitally important to the fishing industry.

"Sargassum habitats provide food and protection for huge numbers of juvenile fishes, some of which are commercially important species."

Cool pic.

NOAA Ocean Explorer: Life on the Edge: Filefishes and triggerfishes


As for the OP, my guess would be either wind patterns OR a suppression of what feeds on sargassum. I know that the return of sea otters (killed off by commercial fishermen) has causes the kelp beds in California to explode.

Here is some info on trophic cascades which is the technical term for the process that leads to "explosions" in types of life.

Trophic cascade - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Looks like its healthy stuff to me.

[TheOverdog]

There was always a lot of seaweed in Corpus Christi/Port Aransas when I went there as a kid in the '80s and '90s.