JACKSONVILLE BEACH, Fla. – Large amounts of sargassum seaweed have once again washed ashore along Jacksonville Beach, creating a noticeable odor for beachgoers and renewed cleanup challenges for crews responsible for maintaining the shoreline.
The buildup, often referred to locally as “stinky seaweed,” is visible along stretches of sand where it has accumulated in recent weeks. While cleanup crews say the presence of seaweed is typical for Northeast Florida during this time of year, the current volume is more substantial than usual.
A beach cleanup worker told News4JAX’s reporter Briana Brownlee and photojournalist Jesse Hanson that he had cleared the shoreline about a month ago, but much of the seaweed returned within weeks. He said the latest accumulation appears thicker than what is typically seen in the region…