If the one thing you dislike most about a warm tropical weather vacation to the Mexican Caribbean travel hotspot of Tulum is the seaweed, well this was the year for you.
According to Riviera Maya News, the amount of Sargassum seaweed cleared on the beautiful white sand beaches of Tulum fell by nearly 70 percent this year. This was a substantial decrease in the macroalgae washing up on the beaches compared with the year ago period.
A Drop In Sargassum
The latest numbers from the Federal Maritime Terrestrial Zone (ZOFEMAT) officials are showing that the Municipality of Tulum only collected 1,278 tons of Sargassum from the local beaches in 2024 through October.
Last year, more than 4,000 tons were collected from the beaches of Tulum.
More than 50 workers handled the collection of the Sargassum this year. Their efforts focused on Tulum National Park, Punta Piedra and Akumal.
“Fortunately, this year, we have had an atypical landing of sargassum. It has been less than in previous years, so we are doing well, nature has treated us very well, it has been kind this year,” the Municipal Director of the Federal Maritime Terrestrial Zone (ZOFEMAT) Juan Antonio Garza told Riviera Maya News.
Cancun Called in the Navy
While workers collected less Sargassum on the beaches of Tulum this season, part of the reduction has to be credited to the Mexican Navy.
They were called in earlier in the season by the Quintana Roo state government to patrol offshore and install barriers to block the Sargassum from arriving on the shores.
More than 300 naval boats, a Sargassum ship, 22 Sargassum boats and a fleet of smaller vessels, in addition to containment barriers, beach sweepers and collector bands were all enlisted this year in the annual fight against the annoying macroalgae.
“This work, which ranges from the collection of the sargassum to its final proper disposal, has been essential to preserve the beauty and biodiversity of these tourist and ecological areas,” Director Garza added.
Sargassum Season Comes to a Close
According to Vice Admiral CG Alfredo Ramón Enríquez Delgado, Commander of the 9th Naval Region, and Captain of the Navy CG DEM Mario Alberto Barrera Navarro, Coordinator of the Sargassum Response Strategy, the Sargassum season came to close in November with a record low amount of the seaweed collected on Quintana Roo beaches.
Only 37,000 tons were collected across the entire state which includes Cancun, Playa del Carmen, Isla Mujeres, Cozumel and Tulum.
At the announcement officially declaring the Sargassum season in the Mexican Caribbean closed in November, Quintana Roo Governor Mara Lezama thanked everyone for their commitment to addressing the sargassum and stated that “we will continue working 24/7, tirelessly, to ensure clean beaches.”