Recent reports indicate varying impacts of sargassum seaweed along Quintana Roo’s Caribbean coastline. Some areas are experiencing significant accumulation, while others remain clear.
Drone footage has shown thousands of tons of sargassum piling up on the beaches of Playa del Carmen. Conversely, beaches in Cancún, such as Marlín Beach and Las Perlas Beach, remain free of the problematic seaweed.
The Mexican Navy has reported the collection of 4,236 tons of sargassum from the beaches of Quintana Roo as of June 5. As part of the 2025 Sargassum Response Strategy, authorities have installed 7,545 meters of containment barriers across various municipalities:
- Puerto Morelos: 2,310 meters
- Playa del Carmen: 2,580 meters
- Mahahual: 2,265 meters
- Tulum: 390 meters
The Cancún City Council has launched a “Clean Cancún” program, working together with volunteers, public services, and the Federal Maritime-Terrestrial Zone to tackle sargassum accumulation in the Benito Juárez municipality.
Experts from the National Autonomous University of Mexico have warned that approximately 100,000 tonnes of sargassum might reach the Mexican Caribbean this year. Additionally, the Quintana Roo Sargassum Monitoring Network forecasts a 40% increase (35,000 tonnes) compared to 2024’s 25,000 tonnes.
Sargassum presents significant challenges. As it decomposes, it releases harmful chemicals such as ammonia and causes a “brown tide” that reduces oxygen levels in the water, impacting both tourism and marine ecosystems.
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