Yucatán Coasts Battling Seaweed and Trash Crisis

In the past month, nine cold fronts have resulted in the deposition of thousands of tons of garbage, sargassum (seaweed), and marine life, including jellyfish and crabs, along the Yucatán coasts. Around 40% of the region's beaches are affected by the accumulation of sargassum and trash.

Rainfall triggers the detachment of sediment from the seabed, creating a surge or ground swell that lifts and deposits various materials onto the shore. This has led to a state of alert due to the environmental damage caused by the decomposing garbage. It reaches the mangroves and the aquifer layer, leading to significant environmental degradation.

We have identified approximately 20,000 to 30,000 hectares of damaged mangrove in Yucatán. The beach stretching from Puerto Progreso to Yucalpetén, on the north coast, has been particularly affected by algae and a stranding of jellyfish and crabs.

The amount of pollutants removed varies across different municipalities. For instance, in Puerto Progreso, over 80 tons of algae and 45 tons of accumulated garbage have been removed from the beaches daily. The sargassum extraction report for December indicates that 2,542 tons of sargassum, 2,700 tons of garbage, and around 80 harmful marine fauna specimens were washed ashore each day.

The local authorities have implemented penalties for littering on the beaches, with fines amounting to 5,400 pesos and repeat offenders facing up to 36 hours of imprisonment.