by Donald Wood
Last updated: 11:55 AM ET, Fri April 21, 2023
Florida’s official tourism marketing corporation is
providing sargassum-related resources for the travel industry ahead of the
predicted massive influx of the stinky
seaweed.
Officials from Visit
Florida said that while sargassum helps with shoreline stability and
provides a home for many marine species, it causes a foul odor once the seaweed
makes landfall on the state’s beaches and begins to rot, creating a
less-than-desirable experience for visiting tourists.
“When washed ashore, sargassum will decompose (rot),” Visit
Florida’s official website said. “Rotting Sargassum causes the production of
hydrogen sulfide gas which smells like rotten eggs.”
Data showed that The
Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt contained an estimated 13 million tons of
seaweed at the end of March, a new record for the period. Officials said the
massive bloom would peak between June and July, with Weather.com experts
revealing that major beaching events are “inevitable” in Florida, the Caribbean
and Mexico throughout the summer.
In addition to shifting marketing messaging from beaches to
inland activities for impacted destinations, the tourism body is working with
state agencies to provide resources for Florida’s tourism industry and partners
to share local, real-time sargassum information with travelers.
In terms of managing the seaweed, the Florida Fish and
Wildlife Conservation Commission takes the lead along coastal waters, while the
Florida Department of Environmental Protection works with local municipalities
to manage sargassum that lands on beaches.
Officials will then determine if shore-bound seaweed is integrated
into the beach, removed for disposal or composted.
In addition, Visit Florida provided additional links for sargassum-related
resources:
The National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Sargassum Reports
Florida
Department of Health Fact Sheet
For the latest travel news, updates and deals, subscribe
to the daily TravelPulse
newsletter.
Topics From This Article to Explore
