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Florida beaches have been littered with brown seaweed, prompting beachgoers to abandon their plans because of the foul odor.
A recent study conducted by the University of South Florida has revealed an abundance of a seaweed called sargassum throughout the Caribbean and along the southeast coast of Florida.
The study found that at least 4 percent of the ocean's surface was covered with clumps of sargassum in May.
Sargassum serves as a habitat for migratory animals, including crabs, shrimp, sea turtles and certain fish such as tuna and marlin.
When washed ashore, brown seaweed begins to decompose, releasing hydrogen sulfide gas that smells like rotten eggs.
The unpleasant odor and piles of seaweed have created disastrous beach days for Floridians.
A study from March 2025, conducted by the USF College of Marine Science, identified the drivers of increased sargassum as a shift in atmospheric pressure over the Atlantic that pushed the seaweed into the tropics.
'Instead of sand in our toes, we've got weeds in our toes,' Alex Winter, an Ohio resident visiting Florida, told local ABC affiliate WEAR.
Florida beaches, including Miami Beach, have been flooded with a brown seaweed called sargassum
Sargassum releases hydrogen sulfide gas that smells like rotten eggs when it begins to decompose
A new study conducted by the University of South Florida has revealed an abundance of sargassum throughout the Caribbean and along the southeast coast of Florida during May
'We've been coming to Florida for 50-something years, and I have never seen nothing like this before,' Teresa Gonzalez, a part-time resident of Delray Beach from New Jersey, told local CBS affiliate, CBS12.
The record levels of sargassum prompted a massive beach clean-up in Playa del Carmen, a Mexican beach town on the Caribbean shoreline.
AccuWeather shared a video of officials up to their knees in brown water as they shoveled piles of seaweed.
'I can smell that video...' one comment read.
'Fruitless. You can't shovel fast enough before it's filled again,' another noted.
Environmental scientist Sava Verazo told WEAR that sargassum helps spawning animals in the Gulf and benefits the ecosystem, but can be a nuisance to humans.
'You're talking about warm, moist areas, a perfect breeding ground for bacteria,' she explained.
'So when you have things, like flesh eating bacteria out there, you don't want to be handling the sargassum. But I would say if you're going to handle it all, you better use rubber gloves.'
Sargassum is abundant in the ocean. Upon close inspection, it is easy to see the many leafy appendages, branches, and round, berry-like structures that make up the plant.
These 'berries' are actually gas-filled structures, called pneumatocysts, which are filled mostly with oxygen. Pneumatocysts add buoyancy to the plant structure and allow it to float on the surface.
Floating rafts of sargassum can stretch for miles across the ocean. This floating habitat provides food, refuge, and breeding grounds for an array of critters such as fishes, sea turtles, marine birds, crabs, shrimp, and more.
Some animals, like the sargassum fish (in the frogfish family), live their whole lives only in this habitat.
Sargassum is abundant in the ocean. Upon close inspection, it is easy to see the many leafy appendages, branches, and round, berry-like structures that make up the plant
Sargassum serves as a primary nursery area for a variety of commercially important fishes such as mahi mahi, jacks, and amberjacks.
When sargassum loses its buoyancy, it sinks to the seafloor, providing energy in the form of carbon to fishes and invertebrates in the deep sea.
Sargassum may also provide an important addition to the food sources available in the deep sea.
Because of its ecological importance, sargassum has been designated as Essential Fish Habitat, which affords these areas special protection.
However, sargassum habitat has been poorly studied because it is so difficult to sample. Further research is needed to understand, protect, and best conserve this natural resource.
Sargassum is not dangerous to humans, but beachgoers should be aware that organisms including larvae and jellyfish can hide inside it, causing skin rashes and blisters
The seaweed itself is not harmful to humans, but organisms such as larvae and jellyfish can hide inside it, which can cause skin rashes and blisters.
The hydrogen sulfide from decomposing sargassum can also cause irritation to the eyes, nose and throat. Individuals with breathing-related illnesses may be more sensitive.
Those planning beach vacations to Florida and the Caribbean should prepare for a summer of sargassum.
The University of South Florida predicts that 2026 will be a 'major sargassum year' with levels exceeding 75 percent of the historical precedent.
Researchers are expecting record levels for the rest of the summer, with sargassum expected to increase in June for Caribbean and Florida beaches.
Louisiana and Texas coasts can also expect the seaweed levels to rise in June and July.
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