Sargassum Seaweed Plagues Florida Beaches Causing A Smell On The Shores

A boy looks at seaweed that washed ashore on a beach on May 7, 2023, in Key West, Florida. Scientists have reported that the usually large mass of Sargassum seaweed for this time of year has formed in the Atlantic Ocean and is possibly headed for the Florida coastlines throughout the Gulf of Mexico. PAUL HENNESSY/ACCUWEATHER

To the disappointment of Floridians and vacationers alike, a record-breaking giant blob of smelly and annoying sargassum seaweed has reached the shores of the Sunshine State after traveling for weeks over the open sea.

Piles of sargassum – an accumulation of large brown algae that floats in mass quantities – can stretch for miles across the ocean and are a beneficial habitat for marine species such as fish, sea turtles, crabs and shrimp.