It’s that time of year again, as a huge mass of sargassum seaweed may be Florida-bound.
In last month’s outlook of 2025 sargassum blooms, researchers with the University of South Florida announced that the amount of Sargassum in the Caribbean and West Atlantic — both regions bordering the Sunshine State — had reached “surprisingly high levels.”
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The study shows that the amount of sargassum in these areas was 200% higher than their historical records in April, and 40% greater than the all-time high in June 2022. So what does this mean?
It means that 2025 has just set a new sargassum record.
“Most of these increases are due to both local growth and physical transport, but the exact reasons behind these new historical records need to be investigated,” the study reads.
Per the researchers, sargassum has already been reported along the southeast coast of Florida, though even more sargassum is expected to start popping up throughout May.
“Sargassum inundation will continue to occur in most of the Caribbean nations and islands, as well as along the southeast coast of Florida,” the study concludes.
According to the NOAA, sargassum seaweed is a type of brown algae that floats in island-like masses, buoyed by gas-filled “berries” that keep them on the surface of the water.
The huge masses can sometimes stretch for miles over the ocean, providing refuge and food for a variety of sea life.
But while sargassum plays a vital role in these ecosystems, they can cause quite a stink when they wash up on beaches, leaving odors that smell like rotten eggs. This stench is caused by a toxic gas that can be harmful for people with respiratory issues.
As a result, EPA officials warn that beached sargassum should be removed as quickly as possible to avoid it clumping up and decomposing.