A video shared online of a snowy substance along Trinidad’s coastline is actually seafoam, according to the Institute of Marine Affairs (IMA).

The video, which was shared online, showed volumes of seafoam near Manzanilla. 

In an update, the IMA said seafoam is not harmful to humans, however algal blooms, which are a common source of thick seafoam, could have a negative effect on the environment:

Director (Ag.) of the IMA, Dr Rahanna Juman, said this is not an uncommon occurrence on Trinidad’s east coast

The IMA said algal blooms are also one common source of thick seafoam. When large blooms of algae decay offshore, great amounts of decaying algal matter often wash ashore. Foam forms as this organic matter is churned up by the surf.

The IMA said most seafoam is not harmful to humans and is often an indication of a productive ocean ecosystem. But when large harmful algal blooms decay near shore, it leads to potentially negative impacts on human health and the environment.

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