Sargassum Season Prediction: Low Impact Ahead

Experts anticipate that this year's sargassum season will conclude in October with minimal impact on Quintana Roo. The northern region is largely unaffected, with only minor amounts reaching Tulum, Cozumel, Mahahual, and the Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve. This summer has seen the lowest accumulation of sargassum since the macroalgae began affecting Quintana Roo's coast in 2013, according to Esteban Jesús Amaro Mauricio, director of the Sargassum Monitoring Network.

Amaro Mauricio, a hydrobiologist, explained that the distribution and abundance of the seaweed has shifted northward, towards the Lesser Antilles arc. This shift is due to a significant deviation of the Caribbean current, which has carried the plant towards Barbados, Martinique, Dominica, Grenada, Puerto Rico, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic. Smaller amounts have also reached Cuba and are predicted to impact Florida.

For the remainder of the season, Amaro Mauricio predicts sporadic and localized appearances of sargassum. The seaweed began arriving in early April, with a slight increase in May and June. However, these amounts were significantly less than those seen in previous years. By July, the arrival of sargassum had already begun to decrease, and it is expected to cease entirely by mid-September.

Quintana Roo's governor, Mara Lezama Espinosa, recently met with Secretary of Marina, Rafael Ojeda Durán, to discuss key projects in the comprehensive management of sargassum. This included the unveiling of a 15-meter sargassum collection ship, equipped with a 5.5-meter beam for efficient collection. The ship, capable of handling 20 tons of the marine plant, is expected to be operational in four months.

According to the governor, the ship will be equipped with a collection band and a crane capable of handling 2.6 tons. The Secretary of the Environment, Lourdes Várguez, revealed that countries such as Japan, Germany, Costa Rica, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Estonia, and Brazil have expressed interest in the sargassum management techniques developed in Solidaridad, particularly in Playa del Carmen.