Scientists Work to Explain the Smelly Mass of Brown Seaweed on Texas Coast

(Padre Island, Texas) - Summer time means trips to the beaches of Texas. One thing we always notice along our Texas beaches is a brown seaweed. It's not harmful to us but we'll need to clear it out sometimes before we can enjoy the sand beneath our toes.

That seaweed isn't a natural part of the Gulf of Mexico, America, whatever it's called now, it comes from the Atlantic Ocean. Its official name is sargassum and travels from West Africa to South America then to the Caribbean and into the Gulf, depositing onto Texas beaches. While it's annoying, it does have its benefits.

The Mass of Sargassum on the Texas Coast

We are no strangers to seeing sargassum when visiting our Texas beaches (chron.com). Padre, Surfside, Galveston, we'll see a pile of it when we want to enjoy some time in the sand. It travels into the gulf starting in April and will continue through June.

As it dries and decays, it will become smelly which doesn't make for an enjoyable beach trip. While it is annoying, it does have benefits for the sea life. Sea turtles benefit from the seaweed, as do crabs, fish and other marine life. As it builds on the beach, however, it could interfere with those sea turtle's hatchlings.

Cleaning Up the Mass of Sargassum on Texas Beaches

The seaweed is cleaned off the beaches every year. It does provide a nice fertilizer for the sand dunes and isn't harmful to humans at all. While it is annoying, do not fear the brown seaweed while on the beach.

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