by Lacey Pfalz
Last updated: 12:00 PM ET, Fri September 12, 2025
Quintana Roo officials report that the Mexican Caribbean has already collected over 76,000 tons of sargassum, a widely pervasive algae that grows in large masses on top of warm Caribbean waters and often washes ashore in thick clumps that can cover entire beaches.
According to Riviera Maya News, the Secretariat of the Navy’s figure combines the number collected from beaches as well as sargassum diverted from washing ashore by coastal containment units, including sargassum collection vessels and over 9,000 meters of containment barriers.
Operations are divided into three zones, comprising heavily touristed areas like Isla Mujeres, Cancun, Playa del Carmen, Tulum, Mahahual and others.
Since the joint work plan was implemented this year, the Mexican Navy’s collection totals have tripled compared to 2024.
The Government of Mexico and the European Union organized a meeting on August 26 for A Sea of Opportunities: Uniting the Greater Caribbean against Sargassum, which is a Global Gateway initiative that provides opportunities for greater collaboration with neighboring Caribbean states and focuses on sargassum mitigation efforts within a circular economy.
Sargassum season runs from April through October in the Mexican Caribbean.
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