Quintana Roo Braces for Massive Sargassum Seaweed Onslaught

The Sargassum Monitoring Network in Quintana Roo is predicting a heavy influx of Sargassum seaweed washing up on the state's shores in 2025. According to Esteban Amaro, the Network's director, low-intensity deposits have already been noticed in areas including Solidaridad, Puerto Morelos, Cozumel's eastern coast, and the southern region of the state, particularly along the Mahahual-Xcalak corridor.

Satellite images reveal a significant buildup of Sargassum in the Atlantic, near Africa's coasts. Oceanic currents are pushing this seaweed towards the Caribbean. The bulk of this seaweed is expected to arrive in March and April, peaking in the summer.

In anticipation of this, government authorities at all levels have started coordinating strategies to lessen the impact of the Sargassum. The Navy Secretariat and the Secretariat of Ecology and Environment have been meeting to plan preventive and containment measures. The Sargassum Working Group is also expected to reconvene soon to refine these strategies ahead of the anticipated increase in deposits.

Several initiatives are underway to utilize the Sargassum sustainably. Companies like Grupo Ensol, Dianco, and Ocean Biosphere are exploring ways to convert the seaweed into products such as vegan leather, biofertilizers, and biogas. The Secretariat of Ecology and Environment is also developing a program to transform Sargassum into a sustainable economic resource and job creator.

Experts attribute the rise in Sargassum to deforestation in the Amazon basin and Africa's west coast, as well as increased nutrient levels in the Atlantic due to human activity. Global warming and increased sunlight also contribute to its unchecked growth.

Predictions suggest that between 23 and 25 million metric tons of Sargassum could be produced in the Atlantic and the Caribbean in 2025. Of this, between 500,000 and 1 million tons could end up on Quintana Roo's coasts. Authorities and experts will continue monitoring the situation and adjusting strategies to minimize its impact on tourism and the local ecosystem.