Sargassum Barrier Protects Puerto Morelos Beaches, Officials Say

Puerto Morelos, Quintana Roo — A three-kilometer anti-sargassum barrier off the coast of Puerto Morelos has successfully kept the seaweed at moderate levels, according to local and federal officials who inspected the area.

Mayor Blanca Merari Tziu Muñoz and Environment Secretary Alicia Bárcena Ibarra toured the beach known as Ventana al Mar on Saturday to assess the barrier and discuss ongoing mitigation efforts. The officials said coordination among federal, state, and municipal governments has been key to protecting the coastline and nearby coral reefs.

Daily cleanup operations are carried out by about 30 workers in two shifts, overseen by the Federal Maritime Terrestrial Zone (Zofemat) under municipal direction. “In Puerto Morelos, we work every day to protect our beaches and the main economic activity for families: tourism,” the mayor said.

As part of the sustainability component, the delegation visited the industrial facility of CarbonWave, a company that processes collected sargassum into agricultural biostimulants and eco-friendly industrial products. The visit included officials from the Environment Ministry, including Marina Robles García (Biodiversity), Ileana Villalobos (Environmental Regulation), and Óscar Rébora Aguilera (Sema), along with CarbonWave executives Félix Navarrete and Jonas Kunz.