Playa del Carmen Removes 1,700 Tons of Sargassum

Officials in Playa del Carmen, Mexico, have reported that the region has thus far collected 1,700 tons of sargassum seaweed off the coast of Playa del Carmen, which is about the same as last year. 

“By the numbers, we’re pretty much on par with what was collected last year. We’re collecting approximately 1,700 tons. The previous administration, during the same period, reported around 1,500. There hasn’t been a significant change,” explained Samanta Álvarez, the Secretary of the Environment for Playa del Carmen, which Riviera Maya News reported. 

The numbers remained in the normal range in February. 

Sargassum season typically runs from spring through October, when warmer Caribbean waters cause the type of seaweed to bloom and grow. 

Collection is being carried out at beaches in the city center each day. Thus far, Playa del Carmen has not asked the Navy to install sargassum barriers off the coast. 

Last year, the state of Quintana Roo, where Playa del Carmen is located, reported 37,000 tons of sargassum that officials had collected from the state’s beaches and coastlines, which was lower than in previous years. 

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