Satellite imagery reveals impacts to coastal vegetation and seagrasses attributable to Hurricane Maria and now frequent massive Sargasso arrivals.

Since 2011, large accumulations of Sargassum on the coasts has become a challenge for managers. Some of the challenges include lack of access to ramps and beaches, deterioration in the quality of tourism services and impacts on coastal ecosystems dynamics. To address this issue, CARICOOS commissioned a study to evaluate changes in benthic composition and… Read More

CARICOOS celebrates Dr. “Ru” Morrison’s legacy and wishes him a happy retirement.

Dr. John Ruairidh “Ru” Morrison retired after serving for 10 years as the Executive Director of the Northeast Regional Association of Coastal Ocean Observing Systems (NERACOOS). Before becoming Executive Director, as an assistant research professor at the University of New Hampshire, he helped build a better understanding of Great Bay in New Hampshire using remote… Read More

Outlook of 2020 Sargassum blooms in the Caribbean Sea* July 31st, 2020, by University of South Florida Optical Oceanography Lab (huc@usf.edu)

The maps below show Sargassum abundance, with warm colors representing high abundance. In July 2020, the overall Sargassum amount decreased across the central Atlantic. This is unusual, as in previous years July often had higher amount than June. Yet large amount was still observed in July 2020 in the Central West Atlantic (CWA, i.e., the… Read More

CARICOOS needs assessment: an opportunity to expand ocean-based observations, forecasts and services in the US Caribbean region.

Identification of the existing information needs from all coastal and ocean resource users in PR and the USVI is essential in the development of the CARICOOS 5 years Strategic Plan. Collecting information about user preferences involves a formal consultation process or what’s commonly called as a “needs assessment”.  Through this process, stakeholders assist in the… Read More

Sargassum has arrived!

Sargassum is a brown algae that provides refuge, food, and breeding grounds for multiple species of crabs, fishes, sea turtles, among other species. These algae can travel long distances because it has pneumatocysts (gas-filled structures) that make it stay at the ocean surface and be transported by wind and currents. Although Sargassum has been declared… Read More