Mexican Navy Deploys Plan Marina to Tackle Sargassum Crisis

Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo — The Mexican Navy has activated Plan Marina, a disaster response strategy equivalent to the Army’s Plan DN-III, to address the severe environmental and public health crisis caused by the accumulation and decomposition of sargassum along the coastline.

Health and Environmental Hazards

The decomposing sargassum releases hydrochloric acid, a highly toxic compound that poses significant risks to human health and the local ecosystem. The situation has raised alarms among fishermen, tourism service providers, and residents of the area.

Sector Reactions and Economic Impact

Fishing cooperatives and businesses tied to beach tourism have expressed gratitude toward the Navy for its timely intervention, citing prolonged neglect and inadequate management of the crisis by municipal authorities.

Offner Arjona, president of the Association of Small Hotels of Playa del Carmen, and Andrea Lotito, vice president of the Riviera Maya Hotel Association, reported substantial economic losses, directly impacting the operational capacity and competitiveness of the tourist destination.

Call for Comprehensive Strategy

Tourism stakeholders have urged federal, state, and local authorities to implement a permanent, effective, and integrated strategy for sargassum management to safeguard public health, the environment, and the local economy.

The Navy’s deployment under Plan Marina marks a critical step in mitigating the immediate effects of the crisis while broader solutions remain under discussion.