CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — The first sargassum of the year has washed up on the Space Coast.

The macro algae washes up on Brevard County beaches from the Sargasso Sea every year, usually starting in May, and once it's here, it rots on the beach, creating a stinky mess.

Researchers say 2025 could set a record for the smelly seaweed, as in April they recorded the highest level of sargassum in the ocean since 2022.

“It naturally accumulates (in the Sargasso Sea), we’ve seen since about 2010-2011, these belts of sargassum forming further south, and when the wind patterns change, we start to see these really big events of sargassum,” said Dr. Austin Fox, an assistant professor with Florida Tech Ocean Engineering & Sciences.

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

But it’s also a good food source for birds who feed on the tiny creatures living in clumps.

“You’ll see birds picking out the crabs, the shrimp and the things that live in the sargassum, so it’s an incredibly important source for nutrients, shelter and habitat for all types of different organisms,” Fox said.

Scientists say the Amazon River returning to a normal flow after a drought is likely dispersing nutrients fueling the blooms.

Cape Canaveral city leaders don’t plan on removing the seaweed because it risks disturbing sea turtle nests.

Expect more to wash up until October.