Cancun, Mexico — The municipality of Benito Juárez, which encompasses Cancun, collected approximately 1,600 tons of sargassum from its beaches in the first three months of 2026, according to the director of Municipal Public Services, Antonio de la Torre Chambé.
Figures Consistent with Previous Year
The official explained that the volume is similar to that of the same period last year, with an estimated difference of only 15 to 20 tons. He assured there is no significant variation so far, despite reports from some sectors about an early arrival of the seaweed.
Early Influx and Contributing Factors
De la Torre Chambé noted that while the sargassum season officially begins in April, an influx of the seaweed has been observed on Marlin, Ballenas, and Delfines beaches over the last three days. He attributed this situation in part to the presence of cold front number 40, which has generated rain and changes in ocean currents.
The director stated that, by order of Municipal President Ana Paty Peralta, a daily supervisory tour begins at 5:00 a.m. to evaluate the condition of the sand dunes each morning.
Cyclical Behavior and Collection Efforts
He indicated that the sargassum's behavior has been cyclical: it arrives in the early morning, decreases around 11:00 a.m., and returns in the late afternoon and evening, necessitating constant cleaning efforts.
To expedite collection, the Federal Maritime Terrestrial Zone (Zofemat) employs six mechanical sweepers that facilitate removal and reduce man-hours, a significant improvement from when the work was done solely with wheelbarrows and pitchforks.
At Playa Delfines, for example, two to three sweepers are required due to the terrain's extent and slopes to move the sargassum to a temporary destination point. Conversely, at Playa del Niño, cleaning is mostly manual, where more seagrass than sargassum is removed.
Shared Government Responsibility
The director emphasized that addressing the sargassum phenomenon is a shared responsibility among the three levels of government. While federal and state authorities operate barges in shallow waters to collect seaweed before it reaches the shore, the municipality is in charge of cleaning the beach itself.
He assured that in preparation for the upcoming long weekend and Easter season, the beaches will be in good condition. In addition to sargassum removal, crews are conducting general cleanup work, seagrass removal, and preparations for environmental certifications.
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