Nearly half of the monitored beaches in Quintana Roo are under a red alert due to the massive influx of sargassum. According to the Sargassum Monitoring Center, 65 of the 140 monitored beaches are experiencing significant accumulations of the seaweed, primarily in tourist destinations such as Cancún, Playa del Carmen, Tulum, and Mahahual.
The center’s coordinator, Esteban Amaro, explained that the impact extends within the first five nautical miles of the Mexican Caribbean coast, prompting authorities and hotel owners to reinforce cleaning and containment efforts.
In northern Quintana Roo, at least 34 beaches remain under a red alert, while in the south, another 31 beaches are reported as affected, especially in Mahahual, within the municipality of Othón P. Blanco.
The sargassum influx is already impacting the tourism image of several destinations and recreational activities along the Riviera Maya. In Cancún, beaches like Coral, Punta Cancún, Chacmol, and Gaviota Azul are experiencing excessive accumulation of sargassum seaweed.
In response to the growing problem, the Mexican Navy deployed 150 additional personnel and a new sargassum-collecting vessel capable of gathering up to 600 tons of seaweed daily at sea.
Furthermore, hoteliers in the Riviera Maya allocate approximately $150 million annually to combat sargassum and protect the most visited beaches in the Mexican Caribbean.
What are the effects of sargassum on beaches?
Sargassum generates unpleasant odors, changes the color of the water, and affects marine ecosystems, in addition to causing economic losses for the tourism sector. Experts warn that it can also damage corals, seagrass, and coastal wildlife.
To monitor beach conditions, platforms like sargazo.info exist, where tourists and residents can check the level of impact in real time.
Source: unotv
