Sargassum Crisis Hits Quintana Roo Beaches Hard

Quintana Roo, Mexico — The state government of Quintana Roo, led by Morena’s Governor Mara Lezama, faces mounting criticism over its handling of the sargassum crisis. As thousands of national and international tourists arrive for summer vacations, many beaches remain inundated with the invasive seaweed, disrupting tourism and sparking frustration among local businesses.

Inadequate Efforts Despite Strategic Plans

Authorities have implemented measures such as the Secretariat of the Navy’s (Semar) Operation Sargassum and the Sargassum 2025 Strategy Roundtable, but business leaders, hotel associations, and restaurateurs argue these efforts fall short. The recent surge in sargassum has exacerbated the problem, with critics calling for more effective solutions to protect the region’s economy and environment.

In 2019, the federal government allocated 400 million pesos (mdp) to Semar for sargassum removal, funding the construction of 12 specialized harvesting vessels and the installation of containment barriers. However, reports indicate some equipment lies abandoned due to lack of maintenance or fuel.

"Let the Navy get the sargassum vessels working—we haven’t seen them," demanded Lenin Amaro Betancourt, president of the Tourism Commission and Southeast coordinator for the National Association of Business Councils, referencing the situation in Playa del Carmen.

Each Semar vessel, built at a cost of 6 to 8 million pesos (compared to a market price of 15 million), vacuums seaweed from the ocean. Yet, with the summer holiday season underway, containment barriers have failed to prevent sargassum from washing ashore.

Esteban Amaro, director of the Quintana Roo Sargassum Monitoring Network, noted that barriers have been effective in areas like Puerto Morelos but unsuccessful in Playa del Carmen, where conditions are more severe. Experts warn this year could be the worst on record, with forecasts from the University of South Florida predicting unprecedented sargassum blooms.

Tourism Industry Suffers Significant Losses

Semar reports collecting 4,236 tons of sargassum so far, but the macroalgae’s overwhelming presence has already led to a decline in tourism activities.

Socorro Gómez, a Playa del Carmen craft vendor, described the foul odors from decomposing seaweed as unbearable. "Tourists complain about the smell and dead fish. There’s too much sargassum in certain areas—like Costinita and Sky Beach. If you don’t believe me, come see for yourself," she emphasized.

Massage therapist Salomón González added, "We clean the beaches, but once the sargassum returns, customers leave or refuse to swim."

Andrea Lotito, vice president of the Riviera Maya Hotel Association, estimated losses of up to 60% for businesses in Quintana Roo’s tourist hubs due to cancellations and negative reviews. She urged authorities to develop a more aggressive plan, citing this year’s unusually severe blooms.

In contrast, Governor Mara Lezama recently posted on X (formerly Twitter) boasting of "clean, crystalline beaches," claiming not all are affected daily. However, industry workers insist the crisis is widespread.

Environmental and Health Impacts

Sargassum’s arrival in the Mexican Caribbean is a recurring phenomenon, but data from the Ministry of Science, Humanities, Technology, and Innovation and the Ministry of Tourism (Sectur) show unprecedented growth since 2011. In 2015, an atypical event measured 320 m³ of sargassum per square kilometer of beach daily.

Rising water temperatures, ocean currents, and wind patterns—exacerbated by climate change—have fueled the algae’s rapid proliferation. Brigitta Ine van Tussenbroek, head of Seagrass at UNAM’s Institute of Marine Sciences and Limnology, noted that nutrient pollution doubles sargassum biomass every 18 days, disrupting ecological balance.

The University of South Florida projects 38 million metric tons of sargassum will inundate the Caribbean this season, surpassing the 2022 record of 22 million tons.

While sargassum provides habitat and food for marine life, excessive amounts block sunlight, deplete oxygen, and harm 72 species, including sea turtles during nesting season.

Health Risks from Decomposing Sargassum

Decomposing sargassum releases hydrogen sulfide, a toxic gas with a rotten-egg odor. Low-level exposure irritates eyes, skin, and respiratory systems, while prolonged contact risks headaches, fatigue, and neurological issues. Hydrozoans within the algae can also cause itching.

Rosa Elisa Rodríguez Martínez, a researcher at UNAM’s Reef Systems Academic Unit, emphasized the dual role of sargassum: vital in moderation but destructive in excess. "Its decomposition harms tourism, ecosystems, and public health," she stated.

As Quintana Roo braces for a historic sargassum season, calls for urgent, coordinated action grow louder. Without intervention, the region’s economy and environment face escalating damage.