QUINTANA ROO, Mexico — Following the official declaration of sargassum as a fishery resource in Mexico, the Secretariat of Environment and Natural Resources (Semarnat) and the Secretariat of Ecology and Environment (Sema) of Quintana Roo are analyzing the economic value that will be assigned to the macroalgae for those who wish to dedicate themselves to its collection, adhering to the guidelines set out in the fisheries charter. This was stated by the head of Sema, Oscar Rébora Aguilera.
He added that so far, no companies have approached the authorities to obtain the necessary permits, although he acknowledged that the company The Seas We Love would be among the most interested in taking advantage of this economic development opportunity.
“This will be a component that we will have to add to the equation and see who the companies are that obtain the permits and have the boats, because the fisheries charter establishes guidelines for the collection of sargassum on the high seas, but in reality, there are few boats in Mexico that meet the conditions set out in that charter. Therefore, those who decide to invest will have to meet all the guidelines,” he stated.
This recognition will allow a transition from a "promotional fishing" scheme to a regime of commercial fishing permits. It will facilitate the fisheries management of the resource and the development of a Sargassum Fisheries Management Plan, with participation from productive sectors, academics, and authorities. This plan must also be supported by a legal and technical framework that defines fishing zones, authorized vessels, and management strategies.
Rébora Aguilera also discussed the industrial projects that could be launched using sargassum, transforming it into products such as fertilizers, biogas, biomethane, construction materials, and food supplements. This aligns with the circular economy model promoted by the federal government through the Poles of Development for Circular Economy for Well-being (PODECIBIS). This project has been endorsed by the private sector because it provides legal certainty to investors and opens new opportunities to generate employment and attract sustainable investment to the Mexican Caribbean.
“If we could consider that biogas plants can operate under a scheme where if a private party wants to take it there to utilize it, we would see if the purchase is from us to them and how much we would have to pay. These are topics we are already in talks about with Secretary Alicia Bárcenas of Semarnat to determine the cost per kilo or ton of sargassum, as there is not yet an equation that gives us that economic part. We need to reach that level of detail to understand the utility of collecting a ton and its transportation,” he elaborated.
Oscar Rébora acknowledged the work carried out by the president of the Riviera Maya Hotels Association (AHRM), Toni Chavez, and the company The Seas We Love (TSWL) to ensure that sargassum ceases to be a threat and becomes a valuable raw material for productive economic use.
“I believe they are naturally the people who will invest in this process,” he indicated, while clarifying that it will be the federal government that regulates the costs and permits for the utilization of sargassum and its collection at sea.
Discover more from Riviera Maya News & Events
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.