Sheinbaum Proposes Boosting Sargassum Strategy With More Vessels and Marine Barriers

Tulum, Quintana Roo — President Claudia Sheinbaum announced that the Mexican government is considering strengthening its strategy to combat sargassum influx on Quintana Roo’s coasts by adding more specialized vessels and expanding the system of marine containment barriers.

Speaking at her morning press conference in Tulum, Sheinbaum said the priority is to intercept the macroalgae before it reaches the beaches, aiming to reduce the environmental, tourism, and economic impacts that occur each season in the Mexican Caribbean.

Sheinbaum explained that her administration is working in coordination with the Mexican Navy (Semar), the government of Quintana Roo, and other agencies to bolster offshore collection efforts, a strategy that has already reduced the amount of sargassum reaching the coastline.

Among the measures under evaluation are the acquisition of more sargassum-collecting vessels and the installation of additional marine barriers to contain the algae before it arrives on beaches, especially during peak tourist periods.

The president acknowledged that the phenomenon represents one of the main environmental challenges for Quintana Roo and stated that the goal is to have more efficient infrastructure to address the problem preventively and reduce cleanup costs on land.

Each year, massive sargassum influxes affect tourist destinations such as Cancún, Puerto Morelos, Playa del Carmen, Tulum, and Mahahual, where authorities from all three levels of government implement ongoing containment and collection operations to keep beaches in optimal condition for residents and visitors.