Scientists say a record amount of seaweed hit the Caribbean and nearby areas in May

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — A record amount of sargassum piled up across the Caribbean and nearby areas in May, and more is expected this month, according to a new report.

The brown prickly algae is suffocating shorelines from Puerto Rico to Guyana and beyond, disrupting tourism, killing wildlife and even releasing toxic gases that forced one school in the French Caribbean island of Martinique to temporarily close.

The amount — 38 million metric tons — is the biggest quantity of algae observed across the Caribbean Sea, the western and eastern Atlantic and the Gulf of Mexico since scientists began studying the Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt in 2011, said Brian Barnes, an assistant research professor at the University of South Florida who worked on the report published on Monday by the University of South Florida’s Optical Oceanography Lab.

The previous record was set in June 2022, with some 22 million metric tons.

“The peaks just seem to keep getting bigger and bigger year after year,” he said.

But scientists don’t know why yet.

“It’s the million-dollar question,” he said. “I don’t have a supremely satisfying answer.”

Three different types of sargassum exist in the Caribbean and nearby areas, reproducing asexually as they remain afloat thanks to tiny air sacs. They thrive in different ways depending on sunlight, nutrients and water temperature, factors that scientists are currently studying, Barnes said.

Experts also have said that agricultural runoff, warming waters and changes in wind, current and rain could have an effect.

While large clumps of algae in the open ocean are what Barnes called a “healthy, happy ecosystem” for creatures ranging from tiny shrimp to endangered sea turtles, sargassum near or on shore can wreak havoc.

It can block sunlight that coral reefs need to survive, and if the algae sinks, it can smother reefs and sea grasses. Once it reaches shore, the creatures living in the algae die or are picked off by birds, Barnes said.

Huge piles of stinky seaweed also are a headache for the Caribbean, where tourism often generates big money for small islands.

“It is a challenge, but it’s certainly not affecting every single inch of the Caribbean,” said Frank Comito, special adviser to the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association.

In the popular tourist spot of Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic, officials have invested in barriers to prevent sargassum from reaching the shore, he said.

In the Dutch Caribbean territory of St. Maarten, crews with backhoes were dispatched in late May as part of an emergency clean-up after residents complained of strong smells of ammonia and hydrogen sulfide, which can affect a person’s respiratory system.

“The smell is quite terrible,” Barnes said.

Meanwhile, in the French Caribbean, officials expect to soon use storage barges and an upgraded special vessel that can collect several tons of seaweed a day.

The sargassum “disfigures our coasts, prevents swimming and makes life impossible for local residents,” French Prime Minister François Bayrou recently told reporters.

But Comito said such vessels are “massively expensive” and not a popular option, noting that another option — using heavy equipment —- is labor-intensive.

“You have to be careful because there could be sea turtle eggs affected,” he said. “It’s not like you can go in there and massively rake and scrape the whole thing.”

Some Caribbean islands struggle financially, so most of the cleanup is done by hotels, with some offering guests refunds or a free shuttle to unaffected beaches.

Every year, the amount of sargassum expands in late spring, peaks around summer and starts to decline in the late fall or early winter, Barnes said.

The new record set is hardly stationary — experts said they expect even more sargassum for June.

Follow AP’s coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean at https://apnews.com/hub/latin-america

An aerial view shows Punta Santiago's pier and waterfront surrounded by sargassum in Humacao, Puerto Rico, Monday, June 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Alejandro Granadillo)

A pier sits damaged as sargassum surrounds the coastline of Punta Santiago, Humacao, Puerto Rico, Monday, June 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Alejandro Granadillo)

Sargassum gathers off the coast of Playa Lucía, Yabucoa, Puerto Rico, Monday, June 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Alejandro Granadillo)

Sargassum covers the coast of Playa Lucía, Yabucoa, Puerto Rico, Monday, June 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Alejandro Granadillo)

Piles of sargassum stretch across the shore in Playa Lucía, Yabucoa, Puerto Rico, Monday, June 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Alejandro Granadillo)

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Puka Nacua stepped into the huddle with the Los Angeles Rams trailing by four with 2:38 left, the home crowd roaring and his team's season on the line.

He never thought twice about losing.

“Never a doubt — No. 9 is with us,” Nacau said with a wide smile in reference to the team’s 37-year-old All-Pro quarterback Matthew Stafford.

Stafford calmly led the Rams 71 yards by completing 6 of 7 passes — the only incompletion coming on a drop by Davante Adams — before capping it with a perfectly-placed 19-yard touchdown pass to Colby Parkinson with 38 seconds, lifting the Rams to a dramatic come-from-behind 34-31 wild-card round win over the Carolina Panthers in the opening game of the NFL playoffs on Saturday.

Stafford finished 24 of 42 for 304 yards with three touchdown passes and an interception, while Nacua had 10 receptions for 111 yards and two total touchdowns as the Rams (13-5), who were 10 1/2-point favorites, advanced to the divisional playoffs.

“You see him out there, he just has the best composure of anyone I have ever seen,” Parkinson said. “He knows that we are going to go make it happen and we completely trust him. ... I knew he was going to have to throw a throw back-shoulder ball — and that was a perfect ball. Like perfect. It couldn’t have been placed any better.”

Stafford credited his calmness to his 17 years of NFL experience.

″I have been in that spot a lot in my life — and I love that spot," Stafford said. “I would rather be me having to go out there with our offense and do it then watch from the sideline. You can make it stressful or you can make it calm and collected, and think the latter is what we were today.”

Bryce Young threw for 264 yards and a touchdown and ran for another score for Carolina (8-10), which finished its second season under coach Dave Canales losing four of its final five games.

Jalen Coker had career highs with nine receptions for 134 yards with a touchdown and Chuba Hubbard ran for 46 yards and two touchdowns as the Panthers lost in their first playoff appearance since the 2017 season.

“There is such a mix of emotions right now in the locker room, from guys being proud of what we accomplished and where we got, to being sick about the opportunity that was right there in front of us," Canales said. “And that is going to sting."

The Panthers, who came in as double-digit underdogs despite beating the Rams 31-28 on this same field six weeks ago, fell behind 14-0 early but stormed back to take a 24-20 lead on Hubbard’s second touchdown of the run game early in the fourth quarter.

Stafford, who was selected as an All-Pro earlier in the day, led the Rams back down on the field and found Kyren Williams for a 13-yard touchdown strike to regain the lead.

Los Angeles appeared to be in charge after getting a stop on defense giving Stafford the ball back.

But a holding penalty put the Rams behind the sticks and forced a punt, which Isaiah Simmons blocked to set the Panthers up the Rams 30.

Four plays later, Young found Coker in the left corner of the end zone for a 7-yard scoring strike to give Carolina a 31-27 lead 2:39 left, sending the home crowd into a frenzy.

But the celebrations quickly turned to silence after Stafford gave the Rams the lead again.

Carolina’s last attempt to move into field-goal range ended when Jimmy Horn dropped a fourth down pass from Young.

“Yeah, total team effort,” said Stafford, a leading candidate for league MVP after leading the league in yards passing and touchdowns. “Obviously had some mistakes along the way. I turned it over, we had a punt blocked, didn’t score before the half when we probably should have. So, a lot to clean up, but found a way to win it late."

Carolina was hoping the return of former quarterback Cam Newton to Bank of America Stadium to hit the “Keep Pounding” drum before the game would give the Panthers a little extra mojo early, but things didn’t start well.

After the Rams defense came up with a stop on fourth down at midfield on Carolina’s opening drive, Stafford quickly moved the offense downfield and found Nacua for a 14-yard touchdown pass over the middle for a 7-0 lead.

Nacua made it 14-0 on a 5-yard run following Young’s interception.

Carolina cut the lead 17-14 at halftime after a 1-yard touchdown run by Hubbard and a 16-yard scramble by Young, the second-longest TD run of his career.

The Rams had a chance to build on the lead, but Nacau dropped a potential third TD on a pass down the right sideline from Stafford just before halftime.

Rams coach Sean McVay admitted it wasn’t his team’s best effort and there is plenty to clean up this week.

“We are going to need to be able to play better if we expected to advance,” McVay said.

But Rams defensive lineman Kobie Turner said rectifying those mistakes is something that can be addressed on Sunday.

“There are no style points in the playoffs,” Turner said. “It's all about survive and advance.”

Stafford surpassed Kurt Warner for the most postseason passing yards and completions in Rams history.

Rams: advance to the divisional round.

Panthers: season over.

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua (12) makes a touchdown catch past Carolina Panthers safety Nick Scott (21) during the first half of an NFL Wild Card playoff football game, Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Rusty Jones)

Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Davante Adams (17) is tackled by Carolina Panthers linebacker Christian Rozeboom during the second half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game, Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Rusty Jones)

Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford (9) throws a pass during the first half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game against the Carolina Panthers, Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Erik Verduzco)

Los Angeles Rams tight end Colby Parkinson, center left, celebrates his touchdown catch with wide receiver Puka Nacua (12) during the second half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game against the Carolina Panthers, Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Erik Verduzco)

Carolina Panthers running back Rico Dowdle (5) is tackled by Los Angeles Rams linebacker Jared Verse during the first half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game, Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Rusty Jones)

Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young (9) runs for a touchdown during the first half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game against the Los Angeles Rams, Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Rusty Jones)

Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua (12) runs after a catch during the first half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game against the Carolina Panthers, Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Jacob Kupferman)

Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua (12) is tackled by Carolina Panthers linebacker Christian Rozeboom (56) during the first half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game, Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Rusty Jones)

Los Angeles Rams tight end Colby Parkinson (84) dives into the end zone for a touchdown during the second half of an NFL football game against the Arizona Cardinals, Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Jessie Alcheh)