State and federal authorities involved in the sargassum clean-up program are currently tracking the seaweed's journey from Africa to the Caribbean Sea. Weather conditions, which greatly affect the amount of sargassum reaching the Mexican Caribbean, are also being closely monitored.
Huguette Hernández Gómez, head of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment (SEMA), noted that 2023 was an unusual year for sargassum on the coasts of Quintana Roo. Approximately 42,000 tons of the macroalgae were collected, which was 10% more than expected.
Looking ahead to 2024, predictions from the Sargassum Quintana Roo Working Table suggest that weather conditions may lead to a decrease in the large-scale arrival of sargassum on the beaches.
Since February, clean-up efforts have been underway on beaches where sargassum presence has been minimal. To date, around 9,250 tons of sargassum have been removed.
As part of these efforts, a sargassum containment barrier is being installed along the Mexican Caribbean beaches. Of the planned 3,980 linear meters of barrier, 2,300 meters have already been put in place in Puerto Morelos. Progress is also being made in other areas: Solidaridad is at 45% completion, Othón P. Blanco at 25%, and Tulum at 43%.
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