Sargassum Smashes Records in Quintana Roo, Hits Mahahual Hard

Quintana Roo, Mexico — The arrival of sargassum on the shores of Quintana Roo has more than doubled the historical records set in 2018. The southern beaches of the state, particularly Mahahual and Xcalak, have borne the brunt of the influx, while many beaches in Cancún remain free of the macroalgae.

Unprecedented Sargassum Volumes

According to data from Mexico’s Secretariat of the Navy (Semar), over 8,000 tons of sargassum have been collected offshore since the start of the season, with an additional 50,000 tons removed from beaches. The Semar has deployed 350 personnel across a dozen smaller sargassum-collecting vessels and the Natans, a ship capable of carrying 250 tons of the seaweed.

Esteban Amaro Mauricio, a hydrobiologist and director of the Sargassum Monitoring Network, noted that while 2018 saw a record 20 million metric tons of sargassum floating between Africa and the Yucatán Peninsula—spanning the Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea—this year’s estimates have surged to 50 million metric tons. Although not all of it reaches the coast, approximately 1% (500,000 tons) is currently present off Quintana Roo’s shoreline.

Amaro Mauricio emphasized that the seaweed’s arrival depends on ocean currents, southeasterly winds, and water temperatures.

Monitoring and Mitigation Efforts

The Quintana Roo government has established a Sargassum Monitoring Center, utilizing satellite technology from the European Space Agency’s Sentinel-2 to track concentrations in real time. Amaro Mauricio clarified that while large quantities recently reached Isla Mujeres, this was an atypical event.

"The first impact zone is the south, which is the most critical area, but over the past month, the north has also been affected, particularly the eastern coast of Tulum and Playa del Carmen," he explained.

However, some "blue spots"—beaches with minimal sargassum—remain, including Holbox Island, Contoy Island, Cozumel, the mainland area of Isla Mujeres, and several Cancún beaches such as Playa Langosta, Playa Tortugas, Playa Caracol, and Playa Las Perlas.

Long-Term Projections

Citing data from the University of Florida, Amaro Mauricio warned that the vast quantity of sargassum floating at sea could prolong its presence along the coast, though this will depend on currents and potential natural events like hurricanes.

The situation underscores the ongoing challenge for Quintana Roo’s tourism-dependent economy as authorities work to mitigate the environmental and economic impacts of the unprecedented seaweed influx.