Golden seaweed tides accumulated in Pyropia aquaculture areas are becoming a normal phenomenon in the Yellow Sea of China

• Published in: The Science of the total environment Vol. 774; p. 145726
• Main Authors: Liu, Jinlin, Xia, Jing, Zhuang, Minmin, Zhang, Jianheng, Sun, Yuqing, Tong, Yichao, Zhao, Shuang, He, Peimin
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 20.06.2021
• Subjects: Golden tides; Pacific Northwest; Pyropia aquaculture; Sargassum blooms; The Yellow Sea; Sargassum blooms; Golden tides; Pyropia aquaculture; The Yellow Sea; Pacific Northwest
• ISSN: 0048-9697; 1879-1026
• DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.145726

In January 2020, golden seaweed tides accumulated in the world's largest Pyropia aquaculture areas in the Yellow Sea of China again, resulting in great economic loss to local seaweed farmers. A large number (~40,000 km2) of Sargassum thalli floated around Pyropia aquaculture areas until May 2020, drifting northeastward and becoming an ecological threat to the coastal areas of Jiangsu and Shandong provinces. In response, the local government is developing an emergency plan to prevent future golden tides, and this process requires an understanding of the mechanisms by which form the Sargassum blooms. As the global climate continues to change and the increase in human activities, sea surface temperatures rise, nutrient emissions and other factors that affect Sargassum blooms may lead to gradually enlarged ecological crises in the Pacific Northwest unless mitigation protocols are developed. [Display omitted] •In the spring of 2020, a large-scale golden tide drifted into the Pyropia aquaculture area.•Sargassum blooms accumulated in Pyropia aquaculture areas frequently and caused losses to local fishermen.•The Chinese government is developing an emergency plan to prevent future blooms.•Scientists require an understanding of the mechanisms by which form the Sargassum blooms.