Sargassum Threatens Mahahual Tourism – Where’s the Promised Barrier?

Tourism operators in Mahahual have voiced their concerns as the promised anti-sargassum barrier has yet to be installed on their beaches. Despite the first sections of the problematic macroalgae already beginning to wash ashore, the Secretary of the Navy has not fulfilled its commitment to install the barrier by the end of March.

Rodolfo Espadas, a representative of the Grand Costa Maya tourism business, expressed his concern over the lack of progress. He shared that the only protection currently in place are makeshift barriers constructed from plastic bottles and nets. However, these are not durable solutions and often break within days due to the weight of the sargassum. Espadas warned that without the barriers, all tourist activity in Mahahual is at risk.

He noted that the macroalgae had not been a significant issue until mid-March of this year. However, the Costa Maya is now seeing substantial amounts of the aquatic plant. Espadas insists that the barrier must be installed by next week, or at the latest before the second week of May ends.

Espadas acknowledged that both state and federal governments have shown willingness to listen and propose new strategies for dealing with the sargassum issue. However, he emphasized the need for concrete actions to protect more than 1,450 linear meters of beachfront.

He stressed the economic impact of the issue, explaining that tourists from cruise ships often choose to stay onboard rather than spend time on the sargassum-filled beaches. This results in a significant loss of income for the local area.

According to the Secretary of the Navy's monitoring, there are large clusters of sargassum in the Caribbean Sea that could reach the coasts of Quintana Roo. Specifically, in the southern area between X-Calak and Majahual, there are two clusters, one weighing 21 tons and another weighing 107 tons.