By Breaking Belize News Staff: For years, sargassum has been a familiar challenge for coastal communities in Belize, particularly along Ambergris Caye, Caye Caulker, Placencia, Hopkins, and other tourism destinations affected by the annual influx of seaweed.
The seasonal phenomenon has impacted beaches, tourism activities, fishing, and the appearance of Belize’s Caribbean coastline.
A video shared on social media by Elito Arceo showed large amounts of sargassum on north Ambergris Caye.
“This I filmed yesterday when I was driving back to town from my place up north. This was from El Norte bar to a mile south of Reef Haven (formerly Margarita resort). Reef haven unfortunately lies directly behind Basil Jones cut on the reef, this channel has the strongest currents here in the island, possibly maybe on the entire Barrier reef 60 ft deep and has waves that run different ways,” Arceo said.
Large amounts of sargassum have also begun washing ashore along the coastline of Belize City, with residents describing the accumulation as unusual and more noticeable than in previous years.
Waterfront businesses in Belize City say the buildup is becoming increasingly difficult to ignore especially because of the odor.
As the seaweed breaks down, it can release unpleasant sulfur-like odors, reduce oxygen levels in shallow waters, and create challenges for marine ecosystems, fishermen, tourism operators, and local authorities responsible for cleanup.
For communities on Ambergris Caye and other affected coastal areas, sargassum has become an annual reality requiring ongoing cleanup efforts, beach restoration initiatives, and community cooperation. Its growing presence in Belize City, however, highlights that the issue is no longer limited to the cayes and southern coastline.
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By Breaking Belize News Staff: For years, sargassum has been a familiar challenge for coastal communities in Belize, particularly along Ambergris Caye, Caye Caulker, Placencia, Hopkins, and other tourism destinations affected by the annual influx of seaweed. The seasonal phenomenon has impacted beaches, tourism activities, fishing, and the appearance of Belize’s Caribbean coastline. A video
The post Sargassum affects businesses in San Pedro Ambergris Caye; extends to Belize City appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.