Fishermen in Playa del Carmen Say Sargasso Collection for Commercial Use Is Not Viable

Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo — Tourism service providers and fishermen in Playa del Carmen have ruled out participating in the collection of sargasso for commercial purposes, arguing that the activity is not profitable and requires specialized infrastructure they do not have.

Ildefonso Arcos Magaña, former president of the Playa del Carmen Tourism Cooperative, said the sector has not been directly informed about the inclusion of sargasso in the new federal fishing charter presented by the Mexican government.

“I haven’t heard about this. We’re not aware of this new law regarding sargasso,” said Arcos, who represents boat operators offering snorkeling and sport fishing tours.

He noted that the boats used by cooperative members are not designed for seaweed collection, as they are primarily used for tourism and recreational fishing.

“The boats we operate are 25, 26, and 27 feet, exclusively for sport fishing. Doing that kind of work isn’t practical. You need a special vessel for all that,” he explained.

Arcos added that besides lacking the proper equipment, fishermen also have no access to buyers or the infrastructure needed to commercialize sargasso.

“It’s not profitable either. Plus we don’t have the equipment. If the federal government is doing this kind of work, they have the equipment and contacts with potential buyers who produce different products,” he said.

In contrast, Arcos reported that the mahi-mahi season has already begun in the area, even slightly earlier than in previous years. He said the first catches have been medium-sized fish, though larger specimens are expected in May and June, improving fishing activity.

“We are expecting a very good season. Hopefully the weather won’t affect us too much like last year,” he commented.

The new federal fishing charter includes sargasso as an alternative resource for maritime activities, amid massive seaweed landings that affect the Mexican Caribbean coast. Proposed uses for the algae include fertilizer, biofuels, and other industrial derivatives, but fishermen and tourism operators say conditions are not yet in place for their direct participation.