In May 2025, SARTRAC researchers travelled to Puerto Morelos, Mexico, for a new phase of the S.E.A. Carbon (Sargassum Environmental Advancement for Carbon sequestration) project. Funded by the Southampton Marine and Maritime Institute (SMMI), the fieldwork was led by aquatic ecologist Dr Victoria Dominguez Almela and postgraduate researcher Micaela Small, in partnership with local experts Edgar Escalante-Mancera and Miguel Ángel Gómez-Reali from SAMMO (Puerto Morelos Meteorological and Oceanographic Monitoring Unit).

While sargassum seaweed is widely seen as a coastal menace, with large mats inundating Caribbean beaches and harming local ecosystems and economies, SARTRAC’s work is probing its overlooked potential: could sargassum become part of the climate solution through oceanic carbon sequestration?

To investigate this, the team conducted a series of controlled experiments both in the lab and at sea. These trials focused on what makes sargassum sink, an essential factor in determining whether it can carry carbon to the deep ocean. Despite testing harsh conditions, the seaweed often remained buoyant for days, demonstrating its surprising resilience.

Science met education when the researchers brought their work into the classroom. At the Técnica 7 Primero de Junio secondary school, students engaged in hands-on workshops to simulate sargassum sinking experiments and explore the role of the ocean in climate mitigation. The sessions fostered curiosity, critical thinking and a deeper understanding of blue carbon pathways.

These workshops build on SARTRAC’s ongoing commitment to community-rooted globally relevant science. Insights from the buoyancy trials will support predictive models co-developed with oceanographers, remote sensers and ecologists from the University of Southampton, Bournemouth University and UNAM, including Prof. Bob Marsh, Dr Songyan Zhu, Prof. Rick Stafford and Prof. Christian Appendini.

We are grateful to SAMMO, the school community and all local partners for their vital support. For opportunities to collaborate, contact Dr Victoria Dominguez Almela at v.dominguez-almela@soton.ac.uk