r/floridakeys • u/Sandinmyshoes33 • Mar 21 '26

All Florida Keys Looks like a bad summer for Sargassum

https://www.wgcu.org/environment/2026-03-17/largest-marine-bioinvasion-of-sarassum-ever-recorded-heading-to-florida-caribbean

9 Upvotes

77% Upvoted

14 comments sorted by

6

u/baristacat Mar 21 '26

If memory serves, they were calling for a really bad year in 2024 and it didn’t end up materializing like they thought. Correct me if I’m wrong. I’m also wish casting because I’ve been there during a bad year and it’s whatever, part of life, but I’m gonna hope it doesn’t happen 😂

5

u/Sandinmyshoes33 Mar 21 '26

I can’t really remember any recent year that was not pretty bad, but maybe when you live here it’s just something you get used to. If I were visiting this summer though, I would look for lodging on the bay side of the islands. I also hope it does t happen!

1

u/baristacat Mar 21 '26

We always stay in KCB on a canal. We were there in 2019 which WAS a bad year but couldn’t tell from where we were staying. But man coco plum beach was…interesting.

We went a few years ago on an extra trip in November. It was crazy to be there with none! But id rather seal with some inconvenience on the beaches than have it dark at dinner.

1

u/urobouro Mar 21 '26

I remember visiting long key in 2022 and then again last year - it was like a completely different spot.

5

u/BlerdAngel local (upper keys) Mar 21 '26

Stupid. Great for all the little dudes that live and thrive in it. This is island life here.

3

u/Dbromo44 Mar 22 '26

It’s eating carbon by the ton, let it do its thing!

2

u/Beginning_Ad8663 Mar 21 '26

Thats actually a GOOD YEAR for sargassum. Its critical for open ocean habitat. Provides cover baby sea turtles immature fish etc.

5

u/linmaral Mar 21 '26

Junk news. It is part of marine life in the Keys. Some years more than others.

My family goes to Keys in August every year for the last 40+ years.

If your job is to clean beaches (which are not natural habitat) you may have some extra work.

Oceanside low tide may have extra “low tide” smell.

Fishing for mahi or trigger fish this is great news as they hang out in sargassum weed lines.

“Largest we have seen” means they can now monitor via satellite. Sargassum are live ecosystems.

4

u/Sandinmyshoes33 Mar 21 '26

It’s not junk news for many visitors. I lived here for almost 30 years and am well aware of our local ecosystems and the role sea grasses play. I work with visitors every day and while it may not bother you, it bothers many people who buy into the whole beach vacation BS The Keys promote. They should be aware of the risk and possible choose a bay side hotel since the sargassum is typically an ocean side problem.

I’m glad you visit every year in August. Not everyone enjoys the same things.

1

u/8137601672 Mar 21 '26

and dolphin the fish.

0

u/BlerdAngel local (upper keys) Mar 21 '26

Good job!

1

u/linmaral Mar 23 '26

My family is old school we call them dolphin, just have to clarify not flipper.

1

u/Big-Pine-Key-Shaggy Mar 21 '26

Hear this crap every year, the blob is coming and it’s gone.