There is good news for Mexican Caribbean travelers regarding the amount of sargassum they’ll have to endure during their next tropical getaway.
This time around, environmental and human factors are coming together for visitors to encounter cleaner beaches.
Favorable Environmental Conditions
First and foremost, between January and February 2024, 1000 tons of sargassum were collected on Tulum, Cobá, Playa del Carmen, Tancah and Pole beaches, according to local authorities.
This means that there has been a reduction of almost 800 tons of sargassum washing ashore when compared to the same period in 2023.
“Higher temperatures result in a massive reproduction of the algae. Consequently, it arrives in larger quantities as a result,” explained Lourdes Várguez Ocampo, Secretary of Sustainable Environment and Climate Change of Solidaridad. Other factors include the presence of strong swells and the excess of nutrients in the water.” She concluded.
Photos From 2023 and 2024 Confirm Decrease In Sargassum This Year
Photos from the FB reporting group confirm a massive drop in the amount of sargassum seaweed on the beaches of the Mexican Caribbean.
January, February, March 2023
January, February, March 2024
Increased Cleaning Personnel
Solidaridad’s authorities have repeatedly announced they have taken the necessary measures to fight the imminent arrival of the sargassum season.
As per Antonio Chambé, head of the Wells and Beaches Directorate, 180 workers are currently taking daily care of the area’s public beaches.
However, he acknowledges that the current workforce won’t be able to collect all the sargassum it is expected to arrive in the upcoming weeks.
To ensure beaches will be well taken care of, the Directorate will bring in 200 more workers to reinforce the cleaning team at the end of this month.
More Anti-Sargassum Ocean Barriers
Both, the local authorities and the community are certain that keeping Mexican Caribbean coasts sargassum-free is a war that must be fought on multiple fronts.
To do so, the Secretary of the Navy, the different ports, and hotelier industry leaders are joining efforts to install a large number of containment barriers in the ocean, especially in Quintana Roo.
Meanwhile, the Port Authority in Playa del Carmen has installed a 1,480-meter sargassum containment barrier to protect the bays of Chemuyil and Chemuyilito.
New Anti-Sargasum Vessels
Until 2024, the Quintana Roo Navy had to fight sargasum arrival with only 11 coastal and 13 smaller vessels. Some of them were not even working any longer because they were not in good technical condition.
However, at the end of last year, the Ministry of Finance and Public Credit approved the purchase of 14 brand-new vessels to join the anti-sargassum fleet in 2024.
All these actions reflect the commitment maritime authorities and tourism executives have so visitors can continue enjoying memorable holidays, and keep choosing this destination for being one of the most stunning in the Caribbean.