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| (FP) |
Beach clean-ups have already started following the return of the Sargassum seaweed.
Less than two months after seaweed levels returned to normal, beaches across Barbados are once again seeing an increase in the seaweed over the last two weeks.
Affected beaches so far include those at the East Coast, St. Andrew; Oistins, Dover, Hastings Rocks, Accra and Drill Hall in Christ Church, and Pebbles Beach in St. Michael.
Director of the Coastal Zone Management Unit (CZMU), Dr. Leo Brewster, confirmed the return of the seaweed, but noted that he could not say the extent to which it had returned at this point. "There is a lot of it out there, and it will come back in periodically," he said.
However, the National Conservation Commission (NCC) has already started its beach clean-ups.
Senior Field Superintendent, Colin Forde, said the NCC received reports last Wednesday of seaweed along Hastings Rocks, Accra Beach and at Pebbles. As a result, three eight-member teams were deployed on Thursday and Friday to clean the affected beaches.
In addition, Mr. Forde pointed out that teams were also expected to be deployed tomorrow to conduct further beach clean-ups.
Last month, Deputy Director of the CZMU, Dr. Lorna Inniss, said scientists were better prepared to track the return of the seaweed using satellite imagery to determine the cause of its appearance.
Meanwhile, members of the public are being urged to report any sighting of the seaweed to the CZMU. They should do so by contacting Marine Biologist, Angelique Brathwaite or Water Quality Analyst, Richard Suckoo at 228-5950.