Officials say there’s still lots of seaweed on Brevard County beaches thanks to a 5,000-mile Sargassum mat that developed in the Atlantic Ocean earlier this year.

They say ocean currents brought it to the Space Coast.

What You Need To Know

  • Earlier in the year, a 5,000-mile mat of Sargassum seaweed developed in the Atlantic Ocean

  • Experts say ocean currents brought the seaweed to the Florida coast where it washed ashore across the state

  • Weeks later, much of the seaweed remains on beaches

  • Locals say it's hard to find a place on the beach without seaweed

Anne and Mark McCleary, plus their two dogs, came up from Stuart to see the Thunder on Cocoa Beach boat races this weekend.

They decided to make a stop in Melbourne and enjoy a day at the beach, but first they had to find a spot not covered with seaweed.

“We did, just down the beach from it," Anne said. "I mean, its gets annoying when it’s stinky and full of bugs."

Over the past several weeks, officials say one of the largest masses of seaweed ever seen in Florida washed up area beaches.

They say the latest surge of seaweed is about 20% larger than the previous record set in 2019.

Florida Tech professor of ocean engineering and marine sciences Kevin Johnson says the amount of seaweed is likely larger because of more nutrients getting into ocean waters.

“Those equatorial currents come from the east to the west, so they are kind of being pushed towards the Caribbean and Florida," he said. "And now they’ve started to wash ashore."

Johnson said that when the seaweed comes up fresh, tiny microscopic organisms on the fronds can cause skin irritation for anyone who comes in contact with it.

“Once it’s dried out on the beach and is this brown or black color, those hydroids die and they won’t bother you too much,” he said.

Johnson said Sargassum washes up onto Florida beaches every year, usually starting in May, but it got an early start this year.