The Mexican Navy Secretariat reported that, in coordination with the three levels of government, private sector, and civil society, more than 39,500 tons of sargassum have been collected in the sea and on the beaches of Isla Mujeres, Benito Juárez, Puerto Morelos, Cozumel, Playa del Carmen, Tulum, and Mahahual (Othón Blanco).
For this, they deployed:
- 13 surface units (1 Oceanic Sargassum Vessel, 11 Coastal, and 1 Amphibious).
- 18 smaller support vessels.
- More than 7,600 meters of containment barriers supervised by specialized personnel.
In parallel, brigades with pitchforks and wheelbarrows manually remove the macroalgae on the coasts, reinforcing the comprehensive response strategy.
Comprehensive Strategy Against Sargassum
The Navy maintains a Sargassum Response Strategy with four main pillars:
Monitoring and Early Warning
- Use of satellite images and radars by institutions like UNAM.
- Forecasts that allow anticipation of arrivals and timely deployment of brigades.
Containment and Collection at Sea
- Installation of floating barriers to divert sargassum.
- Use of sargassum vessels to collect the algae before it reaches the beaches.
Beach Cleaning
- Manual and mechanical removal at the start of the day.
- Transportation of sargassum to authorized sites to prevent contamination.
Circular Economy and Industrial Use
- Transformation into biofertilizers, biofuels, and construction materials.
- Development of projects for cosmetics, packaging, and sustainable panels.
Impacts of Sargassum
The massive arrival of this macroalgae creates a socio-ecological and economic crisis:
- Environmental Damage: blocks sunlight, prevents photosynthesis, and causes marine mortality.
- Human Health: releases hydrogen sulfide, causing respiratory problems and nausea.
- Tourism and Economy: affects the aesthetics of beaches, generates unpleasant odors, and causes million-dollar losses due to hotel cancellations.
- Global Origin: comes from the Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt, driven by climate change and nutrient pollution.
Strategy Benefits
The coordinated action aims to:
- Keep beaches clean and attractive for tourism.
- Protect marine ecosystems like seagrasses and reefs.
- Reduce risks to public health.
- Create economic opportunities through the use of sargassum.
The management of sargassum in Quintana Roo reflects how circular economy and inter-institutional cooperation can transform an environmental problem into an opportunity.
The collection of more than 39,000 tons so far this year shows the magnitude of the challenge and the need to maintain permanent strategies for monitoring, containment, and sustainable use.
