鑽石舞台

Near-record amounts of algae, or water plants, are covering Caribbean coasts from Puerto Rico to Barbados.

從波多黎各到巴巴多斯，加勒比海沿岸的藻類或水草數量接近歷史最高水平。

The plants are killing fish and other wildlife, producing bad smells and gases, and hurting tourism.

這些植物殺死魚類和其他野生動物，產生難聞的氣味和氣體，並損害旅遊業。

The University of South Florida's Optical Oceanography Lab said nearly 22 million metric tons of brown algae called sargassum appeared in the Atlantic Ocean in June.

南佛羅里達大學的光學海洋學實驗室表示，6月份大西洋中出現了近2200萬噸名為馬尾藻的褐藻。

That was 20 percent more than the record set in 2018.

這比2018年創下的紀錄高出20%。

And unusually large amounts of sargassum have floated into the Caribbean Sea.

不同尋常的是，大量馬尾藻已經漂流到加勒比海。

The plants recently surrounded Pinel Island near the French Caribbean territory of St. Martin.

最近，這些植物包圍了法屬加勒比海領土聖馬丁附近的皮內爾島。

The normally clear blue waters turned dark brown forcing officials to stop boat service and cancel fun activities on the water.

過去清澈的藍色水域變成了深棕色，官方被迫停止了乘船服務，取消了水上的娛樂活動。

Oswen Corbel is the owner of Caribbean Paddling.

奧斯文·科貝爾是加勒比海划槳公司的所有者。

He said he had to close his St. Martin business on July 22 and does not expect to reopen until late October.

他說，他不得不關閉他的聖彼得堡馬丁公司將於7月22日開業，預計要到10月底才能重新開業。

He estimated he has lost at least $10,000.

他估計自己至少損失了1萬美元。

Maybe I should give up.

也許我應該放棄。

Sometimes I think I should go into the mountains and herd sheep, but this is what I know to do, he said.

有時我想我應該進山里放羊，但這是我會做的事情。

The United Nations' Caribbean Environment Program said some reasons for the overgrowth include a rise in water temperatures, chemical fertilizer and wastewater that feed the brown plants.

聯合國加勒比環境規劃署表示，造成藻類過度增長的原因包括水溫上升，供養棕色植物的化肥和廢水增多。

Lisa Krimsky is with Florida Sea Grant, a program working to protect the coast.

麗莎·克里姆斯基是佛羅里達海洋贈款項目的成員，該項目致力於保護海岸。

She said as algae break down, they change water temperatures and the acidity of the water.

她說，藻類分解時，會改變水溫和水的酸度。

In turn, that hurts other living things such as seagrass and corals.

反過來，這又會傷害其他生物，如海草和珊瑚。

The algae have hurt humans, too.

藻類也傷害了人類。

The government of the French island of Guadeloupe issued a health alert in late July.

法國瓜德羅普島政府在7月下旬發布了健康警報。

It warned some communities about high levels of hydrogen sulfide gas escaping from the rotting algae.

它警告一些社區注意腐爛的藻類中散發出的高濃度硫化氫氣體。

The gas, which smells like rotten eggs, can affect people with breathing problems.

這種聞起來像臭雞蛋的氣體會影響有呼吸問題的人。

Last month, the U.S. Virgin Islands warned of unusually high amounts of sargassum getting into the machinery at a desalination plant near St. Croix.

上個月，美國維爾京群島警告說，聖克羅瓦附近一家海水淡化廠的機器中有異常大量的馬尾藻進入機器。

The plant is struggling to produce fresh water from seawater, leading the U.S. government to declare an emergency due to water shortage.

該工廠正在努力將海水生產為淡水，由於缺水，帶頭的美國政府宣布進入緊急狀態。

Small amounts of sargassum help clean water and take in carbon dioxide.

少量的馬尾藻有助於清潔水和吸收二氧化碳。

It is an important part of the natural environment for fish, turtles, shrimp, crabs and other creatures.

它是魚、龜、蝦、蟹等生物自然環境的重要組成部分。

It is also used in fertilizer, food, biofuel, building materials and medicinal products.

它還用於製造化肥、食品、生物燃料、建築材料和醫藥產品。

But it is bad for tourism and the environment when too much builds up near the coast or on beaches.

海邊或海灘上堆積了太多的垃圾時，對旅遊業和環境都是不利的。

On Union Island, which is part of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, the algae invasion has recently forced some tourist areas to close for up to five months.

最近，在聯合島上，聖文森特和格林納丁斯群島一部分，藻類入侵迫使一些旅遊區關閉經營長達五個月。

Large masses of sargassum also have hurt the Caribbean's fishing industry.

大量的馬尾藻也損害了加勒比海的漁業。

They damage boat engines and fishing equipment and prevent fishermen from reaching their vessels and fishing grounds.

大量的馬尾藻損壞船隻引擎和捕魚設備，並妨礙漁民使用的船隻經營漁場。

Fewer fish are caught.

捕獲的魚更少了。

Barbados, where the beaches are covered with reddish-brown algae, has been hit especially hard.

巴巴多斯的海灘上布滿了紅棕色的藻類，受到打擊尤其嚴重。

Too much sargassum was thought to cause the recent deaths of thousands of fish in the French Caribbean island of Martinique.

人們認為太多的馬尾藻導致法國加勒比海馬提尼克島最近數千條魚死亡。

Activists are now worried about how it affects endangered turtles.

活動人士現在擔心它會影響瀕臨滅絕的海龜。

Some are dying at sea while struggling to move through the algae.

一些海龜在海里掙扎着穿過藻類時並死去。

Some are unable to lay their eggs over the algae-covered sand.

一些企鵝無法在布滿藻類的沙子上產卵。

Some island nations use heavy machinery to remove algae from the beach.

一些島國使用重型機械來清除海灘上的藻類。

But scientists warn that it causes erosion and may also destroy the nests of endangered turtles.

但科學家警告說，藻類會侵蝕環境，還可能破壞瀕危海龜的巢穴。

I'm Anna Matteo.

我是安娜·馬泰奧。