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3w ago

Record Sargassum Levels Bring Thick Seaweed Mats to Texas Beaches

Massive amounts of sargassum are washing ashore on the Texas Gulf Coast, benefiting ecosystems but posing challenges for beachgoers and local management.

Sargassum covers the shoreline at Padre Island National Seashore. While the influx of seaweed may be unappealing for beachgoers, it's highly beneficial to the ecosystem, helping provide a food source for shorebirds and helping enrich the coastal soil, experts say.
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Overview

  • Large mats of sargassum seaweed are currently piling up along Texas Gulf Coast beaches, including Galveston and Padre Island, as part of the annual 'Golden Tide.'
  • The 2025 sargassum season has reached record levels in the eastern Caribbean and West Atlantic, though Gulf of Mexico concentrations remain typical.
  • Sargassum provides key ecological benefits, offering habitat for marine species, supporting coastal food webs, and nourishing dunes to stabilize shorelines.
  • In extreme cases, sargassum can disrupt ecosystems, tourism, and infrastructure by smothering habitats, blocking waterways, and emitting harmful gases as it decomposes.
  • Local authorities, such as the Galveston Park Board, manage the seaweed by relocating it to dunes rather than removing it, balancing ecological preservation with beach access.