The particular location of Isla Mujeres is one of the main reasons why it can fend off the sargassum. Sargassum is less likely to wash up on the island’s shores because it is located in an area with unfavorable ocean currents. Another advantage is that there are fewer beaches to maintain because the island is very small.
A dedicated group of beach workers maintains the cleanliness and sargassum-free conditions of the beaches on Isla Mujeres. These employees patrol the beaches every day, cleaning them of emerging seaweed. Due to the small size of the island, beach workers can focus their efforts on fewer beaches.
Atenea Gómez Ricalde, the mayor of Isla Mujeres, advocates for the island’s beaches to be clean and free of sargassum. As stated in the new Agreement for the Welfare and Development of Quintana Roo, she will collaborate with Mara Lezama Espinosa, governor of the state’, for this purpose.
Although the typical sargassum season ended in November and does not normally begin again until April or May, it seems to be appearing much earlier than usual lately. For this reason, Antonio de Jesus Delgado González, the head of the Federal Maritime Terrestrial Zone (Zofemat) of Isla Mujeres, has promised to intensify cleanup efforts on the beaches most affected by Sargassum.
Generally speaking, you should be able to visit any of the beaches on the island. Playa Centro and Playa Norte are two of the many immaculate beaches on Isla Mujeres that are cleaned by Zofemat from 5 to 11 a.m., as they are among the busiest beaches. The other beaches are cleaned according to a predetermined weekly schedule.
On Punta Sam, in the continental zone, most of the cleaning is done, while Isla Blanca is cleaned much more slowly due to its remote location and the consequent lower number of visitors.
As sargassum spreads throughout the Mexican Caribbean, efforts to combat it must become more effective and efficient being strengthened with a variety of tools and equipment. About 400 tons of sargassum have been collected since January. 60 sites have been opened so far this year, with another 40 to follow in April.