Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo — Sargasso seaweed is no longer a seasonal phenomenon but a constant problem that requires permanent monitoring, according to Quintana Roo Government Secretary Cristina Torres Gomez.
Torres said that while there used to be more defined seasons for sargasso arrivals, the macroalgae now persists virtually year-round along the state’s coastline.
“We don’t even have a season anymore; sargasso monitoring is constant,” she said.
According to state mapping of coastal areas with the highest accumulation, the most affected municipalities this season are Tulum, Playa del Carmen, and Mahahual, primarily due to ocean currents.
Torres said authorities, business owners, and civil society are coordinating efforts to address the problem and reduce environmental and tourism impacts.
She noted that sargasso does not wash up uniformly on all beaches and urged tourists and residents to stay informed through official reports from the State Environment Department.
In Playa del Carmen, the municipal Environment Department publishes a daily sargasso traffic light, with red indicating abundant presence and green indicating clear beaches.
Torres reiterated that these tools help visitors and service providers know real-time beach conditions.
She acknowledged that the phenomenon remains one of the main environmental and tourism challenges for Quintana Roo.
