Tractors used by the Department of Parks have broken down leaving seaweed to pile up along Bermuda's beaches.

According to scientists, the seaweed build-up is not such a bad thing – it helps to build the shoreline sand, creating dunes and preventing erosion.

One environmentalist, Danny Farias, said he was concerned about the state of the Sargassum seaweed rolling onto the shores saying it's dying in the ocean.

For bathers it's more of an aesthetic concern with at least one letter to the editor and other disgruntled members of the public contacting this paper in the past few weeks about the mess, ranging from broken bottles to seaweed on various beaches.

A Coral Beach employee who did not want to be identified said they usually pay for tractors to clear the beach but had not seen one all summer.

"We have had visitors complain about the seaweed. We have called the Parks Department. They used to rake it all the time, and they said all the tractors are broken. It's the public that uses most of the beach and we pick up what we can."

A spokesperson for the Environment Ministry reminded the public yesterday that if an event has more than 20 people in a public park a special permit was required and those responsible should clean-up.

He added: "The Department of Parks appeals to the public to exercise caution, sensitivity and consideration for the environment and park users.

"The coals can burn people and any nails or other sharp metal objects left over from a fire can certainly harm beach users."

In response to questions about the seaweed build-up he stated: "The build up has been caused as several of the tractors that are used to rake the beaches have broken down and parts ordered from overseas have yet to arrive on - Island.

"It is unfortunate that these mechanical breakdowns coincided with a large influx of seaweed. However, the Department is still able to rake Horseshoe Beach, Somerset Long Bay, Clearwater Beach and Turtle Cove and these beaches are cleared of seaweed regularly.

"In addition, hand-raking of some smaller beaches is being carried out. The Department would like to apologise for any inconvenience the seaweed has caused, thank the public for their patience and assure beach users that every effort is being made to repair the tractors and clear the beaches of seaweed."

Mr. Farias, 72, a fisherman and environmentalist who has collected seaweed for his banana patch for the last 30 or 40 years, said he was concerned because the seaweed appeared to be dying at sea.

He said: "I have been around seaweed since I was young. It is washing up on shore dead and in Devonshire Bay there were two or three feet in yellow scum.

"I have never seen this before and I have been on the ocean all my life."

Yesterday, Dr. Wolfgang Sterrer of the Bermuda Aquarium and Zoo (BAMZ) said it was quite unusual what Mr. Farias found because the seaweed tended to grow more in winter months.

"Sargassum seaweed is less frequently washed-up on our shores in the summer. It's unusual or rather rare. Some of it looks like it's dying on the inner most branches.

"That's an interesting phenomenon. It grows vegetatively or clones itself. What we may be seeing is called seasonality; during the summer there's less growth so it dies from the middle outwards until the little branches start growing more vigorously in the winter."

If anyone needs information on how to obtain a Special Permit, please call the Department of Parks at 236-5902