Trash and Sargassum Trap Dozens of Sea Turtle Hatchlings on Cozumel

Cozumel, Quintana Roo — Dozens of sea turtle hatchlings were found trapped among sargassum and solid waste during a cleanup along Cozumel’s eastern coast, in the stretch between Mezcalitos and Punta Morena.

Personnel from the Federal Maritime-Terrestrial Zone Directorate (Zofemat) and the Mexican Navy (Semar) found live and dead turtles buried in the macroalgae and trash. Crews had to remove the debris by hand to open a path to the ocean for the hatchlings that were still alive.

According to authorities, the absence of daily supervision patrols in that stretch allowed waste to pile up and hinder the turtles’ movement toward the sea.

Gerardo Can, who heads Zofemat on the island, said crews removed 210 kilograms of solid waste during the operation, mainly bottles, caps and metals mixed in with the sargassum. That combination, he said, creates a physical barrier that can prevent hatchlings from completing their journey from the beach to the ocean.

Despite the discovery, Can said the eastern coastline remains under a green alert status because of the low levels of sargassum that have washed ashore in recent weeks. Collection work currently runs from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m., with crews removing an average of up to two tons of sargassum per day.

The incident nonetheless showed that even when relatively little algae arrives, accumulated waste can become a critical obstacle for marine wildlife during nesting season. The cleanup efforts aim to keep the coastal strip clear and make it easier for hatchlings to reach the water.

Authorities continued removing sargassum and trash from the area, where the presence of hatchlings has underscored the need for stronger monitoring and cleanup at the points where the turtles make their way to the ocean.