Playa del Carmen Braces for Up to 60,000 Tons of Sargassum, Double Last Year’s Volume

Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo — The 2026 sargassum season in Playa del Carmen could bring between 50,000 and 60,000 tons of the seaweed, double the amount recorded last year, according to Irving Lili Madrigal, director of the Federal Maritime Terrestrial Zone (Zofemat). Authorities are responding by expanding marine barrier systems projected to cover up to five kilometers to reduce the volume reaching the coastline.

The installation of the first phase, covering the stretch from Playa Fundadores to Golondrinas Street, is in its final stage. However, progress has been intermittent due to waves, southerly winds, and northern winds that have limited operations at sea.

The operational goal is to complete this segment before March 15 to immediately begin the second phase, which will extend from Golondrinas to Punta Esmeralda.

The comprehensive plan also includes the possibility of extending the containment line from the Fundadores pier toward Playacar for an estimated 400 to 500 meters. This would create a controlled accumulation point to concentrate the algae and speed up its removal.

This extension remains under analysis by the hotel sector, which is evaluating its viability based on costs and benefits. Meanwhile, several tourist complexes have begun installing their own containment systems as part of preventive strategies against the anticipated increase in seaweed arrival.

The operational strategy plans to divide containment and collection tasks equally between the sea and the coast, aiming to strengthen capture at sea and reduce the amount that reaches the beach.

Under this scheme, officials estimate that around 25,000 tons could be removed from the coastal strip and approximately 20,000 tons from the sea, though the total volume will depend on current behavior and ocean conditions during the season.

Regarding the final destination of collected material, authorities have identified designated sites for disposal, which are undergoing adjustments to increase capacity and ensure proper algae management.

Municipal projections are based on last year’s behavior, when 30,580 tons were collected—the highest figure recorded in the past four years at this tourist destination.