Navy Triples Sargassum Collection in Quintana Roo

QUINTANA ROO, Mexico — The Ministry of the Navy, through the Mexican Navy, has reported that sargassum collection efforts on the beaches and in the open sea of Quintana Roo reached 14,787 tons in 2025, a figure that triples the results from the previous year. These actions are part of the 2025 Sargassum Response Strategy, which involves the three levels of government, the private sector, and civil society under a cooperation scheme known as the Triple Helix.

The institution detailed that the joint effort in the Mexican Caribbean has allowed for the removal of more than 76,000 tons of the algae, whose massive arrival affects the environment, the tourism economy, and coastal communities.

Coverage by Coastal Regions

Operations are carried out separately in three strategic zones: the Northern Zone, which includes Isla Mujeres, Cancún, and Puerto Morelos; the Central Zone, which includes Playa del Carmen, Puerto Aventuras, and Tulum; and the Southern Zone, which includes Punta Allen, Mahahual, and Chetumal.

This model aims to simultaneously address areas with the highest tourist influx and those where sargassum accumulation has the greatest impact on community life and coastal navigation.

Personnel and Equipment Deployed

To achieve these objectives, approximately 200 naval personnel and a wide range of material resources have been deployed. These include:

• 1 ocean-going sargassum vessel, used as the main means of maritime harvesting.
• 11 coastal sargassum vessels.
• 2 Aquamarine type boats and 2 barges.
• 22 smaller support vessels.
• 9,630 meters of containment barriers installed on different beaches.

This set of equipment allows for simultaneous coastal containment, offshore extraction, and land-based collection, strengthening the response capacity to the arrival of large volumes of algae.

Cumulative Results in 2025

According to the Navy, 8,284 tons have been removed at sea and 6,502 tons on land as of September, representing a total of 14,787 tons collected directly by the agency.

This result reflects a substantial increase compared to 2024, as collection levels have tripled. Authorities attribute the progress to inter-institutional coordination and the use of specialized technology.

International Cooperation

On August 26, Mexico participated in the Latin American and Caribbean ministerial meeting "A Sea of Opportunities: Uniting the Greater Caribbean Against Sargassum," convened by the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources and organized jointly with the European Union.

The meeting was held under the Global Gateway initiative and sought to lay the groundwork for a regional action plan to promote the detection, monitoring, collection, valorization, and utilization of sargassum from a circular economy and shared resilience perspective.

Environmental and Tourism Impact

The Navy's actions have contributed to the preservation of marine ecosystems, recreational and commercial navigation, and the reduction of damage to beaches and tourist centers.

The constant removal of this algae helps maintain conditions suitable for tourism, one of the economic drivers of Quintana Roo, and to protect marine natural resources under Mexican sovereignty.

Institutional Commitment

With these actions, the Navy reaffirms its commitment to protecting the country's maritime interests and collaborating with local governments, businesses, and civil society to mitigate the effects of sargassum.

Operation Sargassum 2025 will remain active in the coming months as part of a national strategy that seeks to guarantee clean and safe beaches for the benefit of the population and tourism.