Quintana Roo Boosts Sargassum Barriers for Tourist Season

CHETUMAL — The Government of Quintana Roo has announced plans to install additional meters of containment barrier to prevent sargassum seaweed from reaching the state's beaches. The decision comes as the algae has begun washing ashore more intensely since the start of the year and with the Easter holiday period just days away.

Governor Mara Lezama specified that the state aims to install approximately 15,000 linear meters of mesh by 2026, with the intention of providing a better image for tourists arriving at Quintana Roo's main destinations. She added that the possibility of receiving more federal support to address the sargassum issue has been raised with the President of the Republic.

"Last year we had 9,000 meters of barriers, and today we're aiming for more, 15,000," Governor Lezama stated. "We already have 7,200 meters in place, and we're working with hotel owners who have their own barriers to get them installed sooner. Another 5,000 meters will arrive this week, in addition to what we've already purchased. This adds to what we're doing to combat this natural phenomenon. We also spoke with the President of the Republic about the possibility of receiving more support in addressing the sargassum problem, where the state has already made a significant investment, and we're working with the Navy to see what else we can do."

Proactive Measures Prevent Environmental Emergency

The governor stressed that maintaining constant surveillance through the state's Monitoring Center, which helps define necessary preventative actions, and the decision to install barriers well before the estimated start of the macroalgae season, has prevented an environmental emergency due to accumulation of the aquatic plant just days before the holiday break.

She noted that to date, approximately 13,000 tons of sargassum have been collected from the shores and removed from the sea. Therefore, she said, it is important to promote the fact that the beaches are clean and free of sargassum so that the flow of visitors is maintained.

"To date, we have collected approximately 13,000 tons of sargassum, but the fundamental message is that it is not on every beach, nor is it present every day," Lezama explained. "Sometimes there are campaigns that use images that are not even from Quintana Roo or are from previous years, and that doesn't help. The goal is for people to come and for us to achieve shared prosperity. The tourist destinations are extraordinary, so we continue working on monitoring and installing the barriers, with the entire structure operating from Puerto Morelos with the support of the Navy."

Forecasts indicate that the volume of the macroalgae will increase in the coming days. The head of the state's Executive branch specified that it is vital to be prepared to care for the 1.2 million tourists expected during Holy Week.