Massive Sargassum Cleanup: 630 Tons Gone from Puerto Morelos!

Federal maritime employees in Puerto Morelos have ramped up their beach cleaning efforts. The region's beaches have been heavily affected by an influx of Sargassum seaweed, driven by a week of strong winds. In the previous month alone, over 119 tons were collected.

Since the start of the year, the Federal Maritime Terrestrial Zone (Zofemat) team has removed 630 tons of seaweed from an 18-kilometer stretch of Puerto Morelos beaches. Gerardo Rosas García, the head of Zofemat Puerto Morelos, explained that while the sandbanks are cleaned daily, the Sargassum season necessitates a team of 40 workers to clear the washed-up seaweed each day.

García stated, "As we approach the Easter holidays, our aim is to keep our coastline as free from Sargassum as possible, as directed by Mayor Blanca Merari Tziu. This is particularly important for our busiest public beaches, such as Ventana Al Mar and Playa Sol, which hold blue flag certification."

So far this year, 632.59 tons of Sargassum have been collected and moved to the containment area located at km 1 of the Cenotes Route. According to collected data, March saw the highest collection of this macroalgae, with 119.2 tons. In the first week of April alone, 75.31 tons were removed from the county's coastline.

García noted that this natural occurrence is an annual event, with the seaweed's presence on the coast influenced by wave and wind patterns. Recent southern winds have reached over 40 kms/h, with gusts of up to 70 kms/h. He emphasized that the Secretary of the Navy, who oversees the strategy to combat Sargassum, has installed 2,100 linear meters of anti-Sargassum mesh to mitigate its impact on the beaches. The seaweed is also being collected from the sea using a roll tractor, containers, and two sweepers. These resources cover the beaches from the Fives hotel to the tax pier, including Ventana Al Mar, Ojo de Agua, Playa Sol, Pelícanos, Cayuse, Arecia, and the Technical Secondary No. 7.