MIAMI BEACH, FLA. (WSVN) - Seaweed has been lining the beaches up and down the South Florida coast and residents want a solution to get rid of it.
Miami Beach residents are calling this a summer seaweed crisis because, as some said, they have never seen so much seaweed on the beach. Some said it was disgusting while others said it was stinky.
Experts 7News spoke with said all the seaweed we are seeing is part of a big picture problem and cannot be fixed quickly.
“It’s a little bit disturbing, isn’t it?” said Nova Southeastern University professor Dr. Bernhard Riegl.
Riegl said the excessive seaweed points to climate and environmental change.
“If you give a plant more heat or a longer growth period, it will grow more,” he said.
The seaweed seen on South Florida’s beaches is sargassum algae.
“With spring starting sooner and summer being warmer, these plants have a good ‘ol time and grow like gangbusters,” Riegl said.
Marine life, like sea turtles, can get caught in the large mass of seaweed that wash ashore and drown. They can also get trapped in the sand under the mounds of seaweed.
Dealing with the large amounts of seaweed has been a delicate process. On Miami-Dade County website’s there is news that crews are working with the Department of Environmental Protection to get to the bottom of this.
Miami Beach officials has even hired an outside company to help.
The worst waves of seaweed is typically between August and September. The only real relief comes with cooler weather.
“It’s terrible the way it’s coming in,” said beachgoer Robert Pentz. “It’s just lining the beach.”
Antonio, who is visiting from West Palm Beach said he’s not used to these piles of algae.
“The weeds, the dirt on the beach, it’s totally unacceptable,” he said.
Officials said the seaweed is not a threat to people. However, when the seaweed rots, it can give residents a headache due to the smell.
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