Cancún sargassum drops 30%, beaches stay clean

Cancún, Quintana Roo — The Public Services Directorate of the Benito Juárez municipality reported a 30% reduction in sargassum seaweed arrivals during the last week of July, despite one of the seven public beaches recording over 60 tons collected in that period. This highlights the ongoing scale of the phenomenon.

Decline in Sargassum Volume

Antonio de la Torre Chambe, head of Public Services, stated that approximately 500 tons of seaweed were collected last week, though volumes dropped by around 30% over the weekend. This decline has helped maintain public beaches in optimal condition for tourists and residents.

De la Torre Chambe noted that recent weather conditions have been favorable, preventing new large-scale sargassum influxes. As a result, beaches remain clean with minimal seaweed presence both onshore and in the water.

"The beaches look beautiful. Municipal President Ana Patricia Peralta has been sharing sunrise photos where no sargassum is visible in the sea," he said.

Key Cleanup Zones

Areas with the highest sargassum accumulation in Cancún include Playa Delfines, as well as beaches near the Iberostar, Oasis, Aqua, and Kempinski hotels. Municipal staff have coordinated with these hotels to expedite cleanup efforts under the direction of Mayor Ana Patricia Peralta.

The sargassum cleanup operation in Benito Juárez involves 290 workers from Public Services and the Federal Maritime-Terrestrial Zone (Zofemat), who begin daily at 5:30 a.m. Additionally, seven contracted sweepers are deployed based on seaweed volumes.

With the downward trend in arrivals and favorable weather, Cancún’s beaches are expected to remain in good condition in the coming days, reinforcing the city’s reputation as a world-class tourist destination.

Statewide Sargassum Collection Exceeds 55,000 Tons

According to the 2025 Sargassum Strategy Committee report, Quintana Roo had collected 55,295 tons of sargassum as of July 28. This figure already surpasses the 2024 total of 41,615 tons.

The data includes contributions from three key entities:

• Municipalities: 37,753.80 tons
• Mexican Navy (Semar): 9,800.85 tons
• Red Recolector company: 7,741.11 tons

Municipal Beaches with Highest Sargassum Volumes (2025):

1. Playa del Carmen: 23,768.94 tons
2. Othón P. Blanco (Chetumal): 8,614.91 tons
3. Puerto Morelos: 7,682.21 tons
4. Cancún: 6,137.80 tons
5. Tulum: 5,555.80 tons

As predicted, sargassum arrivals doubled in the first months of the second half of 2025 compared to early in the year. However, authorities and experts anticipate the current weather conditions will sustain the downward trend through August, historically marking a decline in heat and seaweed influxes along the Mexican Caribbean.