Overview
- Sargassum has been arriving in above-normal volumes across Florida’s Atlantic and eastern Gulf coasts, washing up as thick, smelly mats that block beach access and turn away visitors.
- Local crews are racing to rake, bury or haul the seaweed back to the water, but the volume returns faster than they can remove it and work windows are short because of nesting surveys and busy beaches.
- The rotting seaweed emits hydrogen sulfide that smells like rotten eggs and can host bacteria such as vibrio, creating respiratory and infection risks for people with wounds or lung conditions.
- Tourism and local businesses face immediate losses as beaches become unusable for swimmers and events, and officials warn cleanup costs can run into millions for coastal communities.
- Researchers link the larger, more persistent blooms to warmer ocean temperatures and increased nutrient loads, and the problem is regional with similar alerts in parts of Mexico and the Caribbean.