(FORT PIERCE, FLA) — South Florida beaches are experiencing an invasion of smelly seaweed, according to coastal engineers.

Hutchinson Island visitors say the decaying seaweed is causing them to cancel their beach plans.

Nicole Eckerson, a resident of South Florida, said “I have family coming and they’re not gonna want to be here, they’re not going to think it’s very nice. They’re gonna come and leave right away,”

The seaweed is also impacting businesses. Marty Zonkoski the general manager of Sunrise Sands Beach Resort, said, “Oh you can smell it from the bridge, you can smell it from a mile away,”

While the seaweed build up is unpleasant to smell and see, it is not harmful to touch and is beneficial to ocean life.

Coastal engineers have said that there is no established protocol for clearing the biological mess and the only thing to do is wait for it to wash away naturally.

Zonkoski told our partners at WPTV, “If you’re gonna come to the beach and you can’t be at the beach come see me, I’ll at least get you a drink and some food.”