Category: seaweed

Florida May Dodge Catastrophic Seaweed Bullet, Oceanographer Says

In what’s become an annual occurrence, seaweed has begun washing ashore from Miami south to Key West. But a Florida oceanographer says that the potentially harmful impact of this season’s sargassum bloom is likely overstated and that most of the state should dodge a catastrophic effect. Dr. Zack Jud—director of education at the Florida Oceanographic…


Mexico, Caribbean, Florida All Expecting Summer Influx of Sargassum Seaweed

By Donald Wood From TravelPulse Travelers heading to Florida, Mexico and Caribbean destinations this summer should be prepared for the influx of sargassum expected to make landfall on beaches. According to the Miami Herald, the University of South Florida’s Optical Oceanography Lab revealed that The Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt contained an estimated 13 million tons…


A 5,000-Mile Seaweed Belt Is Headed Toward Florida

WASHINGTON—A 5,000-mile seaweed belt lurking in the Atlantic Ocean is expected in the next few months to wash onto beaches in the Caribbean Sea, South Florida, and the Yucatán Peninsula in Mexico. The Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt—as the biomass stretching from West Africa to the Gulf of Mexico is called—contains scattered patches of seaweed on…


Gargantuan Seaweed ‘Island’ Crossing Atlantic, Headed Toward Florida’s Gulf Coast

While a toxic red tide algal bloom is invading Florida’s beaches, a vast island of seaweed—spanning twice the width of the United States—is headed for the Sunshine state’s waters. It could seriously impact the tourism industry as Spring Break nears. The mass of floating “Sargassum” seaweed is currently making its way slowly through the Atlantic…


Giant Seaweed Blob Carrying Harmful Algal Bloom Heads Toward Florida Coast

A seaweed blob spanning 5,000 miles, nearly twice the width of the United States, is heading toward the Florida Gulf coast, with officials warning that the thick mat of algae poses environmental and health concerns as it approaches the shore. Known as sargassum, the brown seaweed floats in open oceans, and is considered mostly harmless—while…


Seaweed Farmers Dare to Dream but Drowning in Red Tape

Australian seaweed farmers aim to produce $100 million (US$66 million) worth of the product within years but complain regulations are holding them back. Jo Kelly from the Australian Seaweed Industry concedes Australia will miss its 2025 production targets by a considerable margin. The industry is valued at about $3 million. Kelly told a recent aquaculture…


Australian Scientists Dive Into the Weeds to Explore Emerging Crop

From curing strawberry diseases to removing carbon from the atmosphere, seaweed is much more than a nutritious side dish. Hundreds of international scientists and industry experts will gather in the Australian island state of Tasmania this week to discuss the crop’s untapped potential. Karlotta Rieve visited more than 100 seaweed farms over the course of…


Australian Scientists to Explore Untapped Potential of Seaweed

From curing strawberry diseases to removing carbon from the atmosphere, seaweed is much more than a nutritious side dish. Hundreds of international scientists and industry experts will gather in the Australian island state of Tasmania this week to discuss the crop’s untapped potential. Karlotta Rieve visited more than 100 seaweed farms over the course of…


Consumer Council: Tests of Ready to Eat Laver Detected High Iodine, Salt, and Fat

When the Hong Kong Consumer Council (HKCC) tested 27 types of ready-to-eat laver (dried seaweed) on the market, the results showed that all samples had high iodine content. Excessive iodine consumption may affect thyroid function. The tests also found that 70 percent of the laver samples were “high in sodium,” and nearly 40 percent were “high…


Get the Kids Involved in Making This Easy Snack

Nori is a mild-flavored seaweed used in all sorts of Japanese dishes. But it doesn’t grow in flat, even rectangles! To make nori sheets moist, wavy, raw nori is cleaned, minced, pressed, and dried into flat, crisp sheets. To up the crispness and make our nori chips sturdier, we fold each sheet in half before…