Every summer season, the Dominican Republic braces for an additional onslaught of sargassum—floating mats of brown seaweed originating from the Nice Atlantic Sargassum Belt.
In 2025, this pure phenomenon has reached unprecedented ranges, with satellite tv for pc knowledge revealing a record-breaking 38 million metric tons of sargassum throughout the Atlantic and Caribbean throughout Might—practically double the earlier excessive set in 2022.
Whereas this seaweed performs a essential ecological function offshore, its arrival on seashores disrupts tourism, endangers marine ecosystems, and dangers public well being as a consequence of related foul odors and poisonous gases like hydrogen sulfide and ammonia
Associated: Mexico Sargassum Day by day Updates 2024: Cancun, Tulum, PDC, and so on.
🌍 Present Scenario within the Dominican Republic
The 2025 sargassum season started unusually early—studies point out it landed in mid‑Might, a month forward of the everyday peak. By June and July, intensive seaside cleanups and limitations have been deployed alongside the nation’s shoreline, particularly in tourism-heavy zones like Punta Cana, the place accommodations and authorities scrambled to maintain resorts operational
Forecasts recommend the inflow could persist into summer season’s finish, although circumstances might shift relying on currents, winds, and coastal administration efforts.
Be a part of FB Group: Dominican Republic Seaweed Reporting
Sargassum Seaweed Season 2025: The Newest Satellite tv for pc Pictures & Photograph Stories from Dominican Republic
Based mostly on the satellite tv for pc pictures from the College of Florida, there’s nonetheless a number of sargassum seaweed floating in direction of the Caribbean, and the season will most definitely last more this 12 months.
Sargassum seaweed JUNE 2024 outlook for the Dominican Republic
Not like different elements of the Caribbean or Mexico, the sargassum seaweed scenario within the Dominican Republic hasn’t been very unhealthy within the first two weeks of June. The morning cleanups in Punta Cana appear to be very efficient and go away the seaside in excellent situation for a lot of the day.
Newest Dominican Republic Sargassum Map
Printed by the Optical Oceanography Laboratory on the School of Marine Science of the College of Florida.
Latest Seaweed Updates from the Dominican Republic (Punta Cana)
Hoteliers and native authorities are on prime of the difficulty, cleansing seashores each morning and putting in ocean limitations to catch the algae earlier than it washes ashore, to be able to present vacationers with an unforgettable seaside expertise.
Check out this timeline to get an total image of the present scenario on among the hottest seashores and the way it evolves. This report relies on knowledge from the Algues sargasses Punta Cana and Sargassum Seaweed Updates Dominican Republic FB teams.
June 1 – June 18: Newest Information & Photographs
In style Dominican Republic Seaside Battles Sargassum Invasion Alongside With Trash Drawback – In style native and vacationer hotspot Boca Chica is reporting an ongoing wrestle with seaweed and trash issues. Native authorities say they’re placing extra effort into cleansing up and warnings for the native inhabitants as this may have a huge effect on the native financial system. Sadly, the other is true and the little seaside city nonetheless has loads of trash websites on the outskirts, colleges, middle, and seashores.
Newest photographs from Punta Cana and different elements of DR
As you may see within the photographs, the scenario has been very risky however typically seashores are trying nice regardless of the sargassum seaweed is peaking at the moment of the 12 months.
Might 10 – Might 30
Many of the fashionable hotspots within the Dominican Republic are seeing a surge within the sargassum seaweed however the cleanups within the morning are very environment friendly. It’s a good time to be within the Dominican Republic for the time being. Within the subsequent weeks, the arrival of Sargasso is predicted to surge.
A ravishing morning foto from Goals Onyx Resort in Punta Cana
Might 1 – 9: Punta Cana has been seeing a surge in sargassum seaweed
Photographs uploaded on Might 9 by Rick Ram shocked ‘Algues sargasses Punta Cana’ FB neighborhood. It was the most important arrival of the 2024 seaweed season within the Dominican Republic. After 4-hours of cleansing by a tractor, the seaside was fully sargassum-free, in accordance with Rick’s following video publish.
Viral video of tractor cleansing sargassum seaweed within the morning:
Is sargassum seaweed dangerous to individuals?
Generally sargassum is innocent however it may well trigger irritation and a few rash to individuals with delicate pores and skin.
What’s inflicting sargassum seaweed within the Dominican Republic?
The precise reason behind the annual seaweed invasion within the Dominican Republic and the remainder of the Caribben shouldn’t be scientifically confirmed but. Numerous research recommend sargassum development is expounded to international warming, chemical compounds utilized in agriculture and human air pollution within the ocean.
