Transforming Sargassum into a Fishery Resource: Mexican Caribbean Partnership

The Riviera Maya Hotels Association (RMHA) and The Seas We Love (TSWL) have entered into a collaborative agreement with the Mexican Institute for Sustainable Fisheries and Aquaculture Research (MISFAR). The partnership aims to manage the influx of sargassum in the Mexican Caribbean sustainably.

The agreement involves the three organizations working together to develop technological solutions for the efficient harvesting of sargassum in open waters. This will be done in accordance with the guidelines and specifications set by MISFAR, which may classify sargassum as a fishery resource.

MISFAR has committed to offering its technological platforms to conduct the necessary studies. Meanwhile, RMHA and TSWL will assist in securing funding for research into the behavior and dynamics of pelagic sargassum in the Caribbean. Over the next six months, the partners anticipate positive developments, including the opportunity to test, design, and structure fishing methods. This will provide assurance for the harvesting of sargassum, which is crucial for protecting the coast and managing the impact created.

The collaboration is seen as a commendable effort by hoteliers to support the Federal Government in transforming the significant challenge of sargassum influx into an opportunity. The signatories are optimistic that the agreement will continue to foster regional well-being by creating a new industry centered on sargassum.

Additionally, Ramón Isaac Rojas González, the director of Fisheries Research in the Atlantic for MISFAR, and his scientific team invited attendees to tour the research vessel's laboratories, deck, and bridge. They also presented a proposal for a regional research project on sargassum, which will evaluate its potential as a fishery resource.