In just one week’s time, almost 1,260 tons of sargassum seaweed were removed from beaches in Costa Maya in the Mexican state of Quintana Roo by the Secretariat of the Navy, according to a report in Riviera Maya News.
From July 26 to August 1, 259.9 tons of sargassum were removed from the Mahahual and Xcalak beach areas, the Secretariat said.
“The work was carried out by 78 members of the Eleventh Naval Zone and 80 civilian personnel, including business owners, restaurateurs and service providers from the Port of Mahahual,” the Secretariat said, adding that “2,265 meters of containment barriers remain in place off the coast of Mahahual,” the Secretariat said.
The removal of sargassum is part of the Sargassum Response Strategy, which was created to reduce the adverse impact that the seaweed poses to the environment and tourism.
Costa Maya’s sargassum season – as is the case with the lion’s share of the Mexican Caribbean – typically runs from April to October, with accumulations peaking from May to July.
Isla Mujeres is also eradicating sargassum from its beaches, and has collected upward of 2,000 tons of the seaweed, Riviera Maya News reported earlier.
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