GEORGE TOWN: A deep-green carpet of seaweed the size of over 40 football fields has appeared in the sea off the Penang Bridge, providing visitors with a spectacular sight, especially during low tide.
This phenomenon, spreading out on the Penang Middle Bank, can be seen off Karpal Singh Drive on the island or to the right of Penang Bridge en route to the island.
Universiti Sains Malaysia marine biologist Prof Datuk Dr Aileen Tan said climate change might have helped its intense growth with the new rainy weather, and it is now a source of food and shelter for millions of marine lifeforms.
“The carpets of macroalgae or what people generally call seaweed will also absorb excess organic nutrients flowing out of Penang.
“It therefore helps the sea become cleaner,” she said.
Dr Tan said most of the profuse growth would be due to a species called Ulva lactuca, also called “sea lettuce,” which is edible.
“It usually grows abundantly when the rainy season starts and if there is enough sunlight for photosynthesis.
“Penang Middle Bank, which has been around since the 1800s, is a large and precious sand bank that is visible to us only during low tides.
“Even during the highest tides, the Middle Bank is barely a few metres underwater, so sunlight can still reach it. It’s so large that it has a huge impact on the fisheries ecosystem in the Strait of Malacca,” she added.
This abundance of seaweed became evident after a group of paddle boarders visited Penang Middle Bank.
Paddleboards look exactly like surfboards, except they are much wider and longer, allowing paddlers to stand on them as they paddle to get a good look around while exploring the waters.
Paddleboarder KL Tan, 52, said her group loved to visit Penang Middle Bank in the mornings of the spring tide season, which was typically when the tide would be lowest.
“We cannot think of anywhere else where you can see such a huge island appear at low tide.
“It is so large that you will need over half an hour to walk from one end to the other,” she said.
But Tan said in recent years, Penang Middle Bank has appeared like a barren island with just sand and mud.
Since early this month, paddleboarders were greeted with a lush carpet of deep green throughout this island.
“To see so much green seaweed on the island, where nearly everything else is grey, is truly beautiful.
“Most of us are making more trips there while we carefully study the tide charts, currents and storm systems via satellite before paddling there,” she said, adding that Penang had about 100 paddleboarders.
Aside from the scenic view, Tan said many paddleboarders also go to Penang Middle Bank now to harvest huge clams. After leaving them to purge in clean saltwater for a few hours, they become prized seafood.
The state government is expected to protect Penang Middle Bank by gazettement soon, which includes the small islets beside the Penang Bridge.
