Sargassum crisis: Fishermen in Martinique develop solutions

A giant blob of seaweed in the Atlantic is discouraging tourists and threatening communities on the French Caribbean island of Martinique.
Mounds of free-floating sargassum wash up on beaches, and as it rots, it releases toxic gases.
Fishermen and entrepreneurs have taken matters into their own hands, coming up with a solution.

Al Jazeera’s Alexandra Byers reports more.
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[@muhammadismaeeljaumeer7755]

I have worked on seaweed for many years and people are yet to realise its importance. This particular seaweed can be used for enhancing fertilisers, fish meals, for paper production, cups etc... Nevertheless, we should also realise that seaweed has vital ecological functions to the seawater quality and a habitat for fish and other micro and macro marine organisms.

[@wiley2968]

I thought me the same like you say ..on top is flushing on the beach and make new land ,,over many years humans just don't understand the have to life with the nature together ..

[@gennaterra]

True... but exaggerated amount of something good will always have the opposite effect. Looks like plenty to find good use of it.

[@christopherrobinson972]

You have it all then

[@Rudeboydanyute]

It works as a pesticide to. But too much is annoying

[@xevious2501]

seaweed has its uses but this is plauge level problematic. i do wonder if the waters are cooler where it resides due to it blocking the suns rays.

[@yolo_burrito]

I have lived in South Florida all my life and this would occasionally be a minor nuisance. Now it’s a major problem.

[@MrSeachaser175]

The one major problem with Sargassum sea weed it is loaded with salt, so unless you are prepared to wash the salt out it can’t be used for anything especially fertilizer as the salt is deadly to plants.

[@shaneildyall5498]

You are misinform about the types of salt that is contained in seaweed

[@MrSeachaser175]

@@shaneildyall5498 as a professional yacht captain for the last 50 years I know all about seawater so don’t you tell me that I’m misinformed, if anything you are.

[@sonnyeast3862]

Sargassum hyperbloom caused by nutrients that enter Gulf Stream currents via polluted rivers globally. It’s not commonly used for fertilizer because it contains toxins and heavy metals which carry over to food. While sargasso is vital for a multitude of species, and over abundance can cause massive damage to marine seabeds with grass or coral.If the light cannot penetrate because of a blanket of rotting algae, the grass and coral begin to die. The sargasso itself is not new, the amount we are seeing is not normal.

[@greatcondor8678]

Because it has toxins we should leave it in the ocean. That's just stupid

[@manuelvpr]

What these fishermen are doing is outstanding. That adaptation of their vessels is amazing, I hope the seaweed they collect will end up used in something meaningful such as fertilizer or other use.

[@MusikCassette]

first thing it can be used for is producing Biogas. and as a byproduct we get fertilizer.

[@renoirrandy7241]

I live in the Caribbean and can't remember there ever this problem before 2011. It ruins all the beaches on the East coasts of the islands

[@alanmctavish3628]

Sargassum is widely regarded as a bio-fertiliser in agriculture. This nutrient-dense macroalgae is rich in minerals, water soluble polysaccharides and phenolic compounds which collectively enhance soil health, quality, productivity and enzymatic activities.

[@MrSeachaser175]

Your forgetting the high salt load which needs to be removed first for any practical use.

[@troystpaul100]

​@@MrSeachaser175 He is just running on without thinking.

[@kelliott7864]

You are correct. We purchase dry kelp meal for the farm and it is by far the most expensive anendment we buy.

[@aboyade9]

It can be a good soil amendment if they first process it to remove the arsenic

[@lewisdoherty7621]

It has high levels of heavy metals which will contaminate crops which are used for animal or human food. It likely shouldn't even be used for things which aren't food crops because it eventually will move to those areas. Cotton crop pests were treated at one time with arsenic and if the fields are going to be used for food crops, there is a problem.

[@violetasettle4419]

I can’t imagine what could go wrong when Florida has lakes of fertilizer that leak into the Atlantic.

[@simon1678]

You could also feed it into a biogas plant and generate energy in the form of gas or electricity.

[@somewhereinsthlm2153]

Collect and compost it using the very efficient worm compost method to create nutritious black soil. Use the black soil to grow vegetables, fruit and berries.

[@xevious2501]

When someone finds something very useful for it, a financial boon, then there wont be enough vessels to scoop it up.

[@kenreynolds1000]

There are commercial crops that are salt tolerant if you can keep it reasonable. Wash it in river water. That is a lot of nutrient that wouldn't require much fuel to turn into lots of high value fertilizer. Sun dried and baled for processing.

[@aminrodriguez4707]

Mate, I live in Dominica Republic, same problem as in Martinique, its simple, its the best fertilizer and cattle fodder, abd easy to handle and make ready to use. Every year take a tractor with two large carriages to bring on about 2 metric tonnes of the stuff from thr beaches up to our coffee farm, there we compost it with coffee mulch residue and make fertilizer for the plantation.

[@BrooksCWhitehouse]

tons of arsenic and heavy metals are concentrated in sargassum, at levels way higher than what is normally allowed in Animal fodder

[@theknow7557]

A frequent visitor to your country and that stuff is horrible for tourism. Especially Punta Cana. I now visit La Romana as it’s virtually no sea weed.

[@idontfukncareabout]

​@@theknow7557 well theres nothing human can do and its not always sargassum i live in punta cana and as we speak the beaches here are clean clean

[@Memento-_-Mori-_-982]

This is basically free organic fertilizer!

[@honelson95]

There are plenty of seaweed products origin from sargassum , ascofol, giant kelp etc selling so expansive in the fertilizer market. Couldn't believe , now it is free outside your door step

[@vivavasquez]

very valuable natural fertilizer ! its a gift , use it for growing food .

[@stephaniefigaro5959]

This is not Martinique. It is Marie-Galante from Guadeloupe Islands

[@karlad4082]

I love the new technology to get the seaweed collected, but businesses should get together to combat it before it gets to their shore so it doesn’t destroy their economy. Very sad indeed 😞

[@Texaca]

... they don't have the money. That's why their Government needs to do that, collect it, and resell it as a bio resource for agricultural purposes, or into another renewable resource 🤔

[@mikehatch2114]

The cause doesn't seem to enter into any reports about it. Increased amounts of nitrogen from treated sewage being pumped into rivers and oceans. Human waste being dumped into the sea by cruse ships and small crafts with no restriction except being a certain distance from shore. The increased nitrogen levels are the cause of the huge increase of sargassum.

[@bullhead900]

Cruise ships do not dump human waste.

[@finalascent]

That's nothing compared to the sarcasm bloom that's coming.

[@kelliott7864]

Oh sure, there's just sooo much sarcasm on KZbin. Not a chance, pal.

[@AdamBechtol]

lol

[@krobbins8395]

I seen a story from a India tech company making biodegradable plastics and glue from seaweed . They were growing it and unsure if this can be used in it's place but if this is a recurring problem could be worth finding out.

[@stonew1927]

I don´t think we should be transporting it to other ocean basins as there´s a risk it will spread worldwide. Best to use locally sourced seaweeds to transform into usable, beneficial products.

[@princessdayunyor6202]

Its a blessing

[@danschroeder1690]

Isn't there a shortage if fertilizer? Put in the fields!!!

[@billpojas7126]

Collect it grind it, ferment it capture the gas then refine it sold it. The pulp dry it make it into fertilizer

[@jonm4501]

I bet you a dollar to a dime those fisherman are dumping the seaweed back into the sea downwind from their tiny island.

[@CommercialVehicle]

That would be stupid.

[@muzammilm.nurdin3349]

Collect them > Spray enzymes/bacteria > Bury them > Wait for 10-20yrs > Fuel > Profit

[@murryjm]

What to do with the arsenic in the sargassum? If that can be ameliorated, the sargassum can be used for bricks & other beneficial purposes.

[@mark-pe3bt]

I used to go the the caribbean during vacation , I cant anymore because the sargassum has gotten so bad. I stay in New Jersey the water is 72 in August and no sargassum

[@glike2]

If not used for raw material, the Sargassum could sequester carbon if buried in salt and make money

[@dazzer273]

Who’s the Irish narrator ☘️👏🏼

[@ugponics]

Seaweed is a great source of minerals and useful phytochemicals. Seaweed is pure gold for agriculture. This stuff is very good and simple to ferment into a mineral supplement.

[@kelliott7864]

A 50 pound bag of dry kelp meal retails for over $100.

[@CommercialVehicle]

What about the salt ?

[@kelliott7864]

@@CommercialVehicle Any place that has a river that runs into the sea can use the river water to rinse the salt before processing. It's not complicated.

[@bm5906]

Seems to me these folks could team up with the people involved in The Ocean Cleanup project. The latter's System 3 could probably help quite a bit more than the small vessels they are using.

[@PrefectUN]

Fishermen at Martin’s definitely had to change strategies! JD

[@lisaschreiber2893]

very clever ❤

[@unidosmexicanos5466]

It can be used in beauty products, fertilizer and production of gas this has been implemented in México

[@IO-zz2xy]

It can be ground up and sold in bags to be mixed with compost. It is an increadable plant food. Regards from South Africa

[@MySmallWorld.]

They can use it for agricultural production. It is very rich and nutrition

[@taryntaryn9090]

Mother nature. Learn to live and work with her, instead of destroying it

[@petrairene]

Turning it into fertilizer?

[@Aboard_and_Abroad]

too many toxins from cleaning the ocean =(

[@mikelee9516]

It can be used as fertilizer

[@oshainwilliams9876]

It’s a big problem in the Caribbean

[@hgdvl8811]

Wonder if it could help fix radioactive sea water? And if its there to fix the pollution being put into the ocean from nearby where its seems to be a problem?

[@Martin_Priesthood]

Very sad. Hope you guys are able to get rid of the seaweed.

[@dancostello6465]

This is a great soil amendment and hopefully they can dry it and sell it to tourists for their gardens back home.

[@Platypus_Warrior]

COMPOST IT !

[@chuckduzzie8529]

Can the seaweed be mulched into the soil… so you might have better soil for farming in the future

[@anthonymanderson7671]

Hopefully this problem will be solved.

[@markdavis8888]

Net and tow is what we did at the Alaska oil spill. Tow it into the passing current.

[@smhunney8266]

good as a fertilizer.

[@ddoublejentertainment6415]

Caribbean people two main problems are seaweed and hurricane 🌀 😐

[@cynthiarowley719]

Thoughtful ideas. It's hard to get attention for the new good thoughts. Thank you for covering this. Hello Elon 👋 we need your help

[@ranew33]

A man in mexico creates bricks made of sargassum and builds houses with them. He created entire business on top of the existing business of cleaning it up for hotels in mexico.

[@stevemlejnek7073]

Collected on a boat. Then what happens to it?

[@draculastraphouse7863]

They dump it somewhere else

[@LogitechXibanga]

use that as fertilizer

[@Thingsyourollup]

Why does the audio on this video only play out of my left earphone? so irritating.

[@Rider0fBuffalo]

If you care for an aquarium you can relate...

[@janosik150]

looks like a perfect fertilizer to me with tons of minerals... how is a bad to economy.

[@danielclayton7524]

Could be, is not a clear definition of the cause. Corporations an gov. Know what is causing it.

[@QuiChiYang2]

Create a pit filled with biochar, place seaweed on top, cover with mulch inoculated with oyster mushroom, cover with more mulch & dirt. You have just created tera pretta. Plant fruit & timber bearing species like bamboo, gumbo limbo, African mahogany.

[@supinelemon]

Wont the salt laden seaweed kill the plants?

[@MusikCassette]

It is easy what we can use it for. it is biomas. so we can produce Biogas from it. Green energy to be used flexible. And as a biproduct we get fertilizer.

[@melissagoodwin2602]

Cane be used as fertilizer

[@jaseyeates4431]

😢in Tobago its the worst but they also use it for plant fertilizer..

[@Do-UR-Research2749]

Sargassum is extremely important to our pelagic fish pollution. Juvenile fish and organizims live in it, and large patches floating in deep water are great large fish attractive, which we target to catch and eat. As expected, the news is always doom and gloom, never provide you with both sides of the matter.

[@grancitodos7318]

Too much is damaging, do you not have a brain.

[@anastasia8042]

Some sargassum yes but now there’s too much that it’s affecting quality of life in the Caribbean.

[@MickeysCorner]

Should dump it in your yard, since you like it so much. You sound like a fukn half baked nut.

[@willfriar8054]

it's a very easy question to ask. where did all the fertilizer come from? considering as a Floridian I know that Saharan dust comes all the way across and lands in the Gulf of Mexico! I'm thinking that African dust has something to do with it. people pooping out in the desert becomes dust. 50% of the dust is fecal matter! highly nutritious for seaweed

[@PG-3462]

It's more likely because of the insane amount of fertilizer that gets into rivers and then to the ocean.

[@Entropy512]

@@PG-3462 Yup. With a significant amount of that from Florida, which is already well established has having frequent problems with algal blooms due to fertilizer runoff.

[@CanaryKin]

It’s actually coming from industrial 🏭 runoff

[@kylediffusion9879]

That's great fertilizer y'all, collect it, bill the city for it, them sell it

[@patriciadiaz5622]

It’s bad in Mexico too

[@beeee4249]

It should be used as fertilizer

[@jwillbassist]

you all cant put up a net to block them

[@shengwho8430]

Why cant they use it for biofuel ?

[@MauryWSullivan]

Does anyone see the big picture? This is not normal and is caused by a serious environmental change. Both ocean temperature elevation combined with human release of farming fertilizer draining into rivers are feeding the bloom. Humanity can’t regulate itself and thus is disrupting the natural order. Sad.

[@ugponics]

Seaweed in sea is not normal? How about look at how media distorts knowledge?

[@happykitten5695]

💛

[@johntresemer5631]

😢

[@conradboss]

Its going to take a lot of bags to collect all that sea weed!!

[@rastatafari7691]

Free fertilizer

[@calvada-bd8no]

Is cloud seeding causing this?

[@eric1107]

I’m the past decade farmers in Brazil started using a new type of fertilizer but when it gets into the ocean it starts this

[@eric1107]

Many countries in the east coast are losing tourists because of it country’s tried convincing Brazil to stop but Brazil it basically like f all of you we won’t stop

[@cristo6007]

Increase in water temperature from climate change and nutrient runoff from the agriculture industry have created conditions for super blooms.

[@MiguelDeMarchena]

With the covid pandemic and now the war in Ukraine the world fertilizer production was reduced a lot so instead of a problem i see a solution why not put this free organic fertilizer to use instead of dumping it

[@mannycastillo3087]

hire locals they need the work, seriously.

[@ralfnorenberg3130]

been there for all time,christofer columbus described it. indians in carabean ate it

[@Tom-pc7lb]

This would be a good area for government subsidy.

[@ronnelacido1711]

Research if it can be turned into food for humans.

[@NBflame]

Yes it is food as well as an ecosystem! :)

[@jrmetmoi]

@@NBflame cool

[@YeahYall]

Send me a few tons. I bet this stuff will green a lawn up quickly!

[@fishydubsfishing6516]

Wasn't there a big push about seaweed being healthy for you to eat where is all the vegetarians why don't they eat the stuff

[@newdimension4731]

There isother composite materials that can be made with those, look at what INDIA is doing with them

[@HardSarge]

A shame

[@steventodd5678]

Turn a waste product into a recourse and yu have a twofer.

[@Texaca]

... recourse or Resource 🤔

[@desmondburnett9286]

a Mexican is making bricks from it

[@IvanSam1]

Humans release waist and co2 nature finding whay to use it and reduce it.

[@rastatafari7691]

Just compost it

[@jondoe7674]

Deforestation and extra nitrogen in the water.

[@nstv23]

It’s nature crying for help

[@chazzlevin931]

BELIZE NEEDS HELP

[@troystewart7730]

Mother Nature is WOKE

[@rayRay-pw6gz]

Governor DeSantis is going to ban it.

[@ksmith2852]

The fertilizer causing this comes from Russia.

[@FCOLAXCDG]

❤️🇱🇨

[@andreinarangel6227]

The Sargasso Sea has been around forever. Columbus wrote about the ocean being blanketed from horizon to horizon with the weed. No "global climate warming ozone" then!

[@ARolls-dd2zd]

Looks horrible.

[@lauropalomares9919]

And also smells horrible.

[@armandocorrea2956]

😂🤣

[@georgemckenzie2525]

Compost.

[@edcew8236]

Learn how to pronounce kilometer.

[@jbusta8548]

Bio fuel