Riviera Maya, Q.R. — Although the arrival of sargassum has seen a noticeable increase in recent days, sea barriers are not being installed until April. Governor Carlos Joaquín said that sargassum barriers will not be placed along the coast until April, despite the obvious arrival of algae.
This, after the recent announcement that the Secretary of the Navy has all the necessary infrastructure to help contain the sargassum at sea.
Along beaches from Cancun to Mahahual, sargassum has begun to make landfall. In some areas, especially toward the south, mass amounts have already been recorded.
The beaches of Mahahual are only one that have already been hit hard by a mass arrival of seaweed.
In an effort to remove the beached seaweed, brigades of manual labor line the congested areas of many of the state’s public beaches, removing the seaweed with rakes and wheelbarrows.
Esteban Amaro, head of the Quintana Roo Sargassum Monitoring Network, says on March 22, a large patch referred to as a sargassum stain was located hear Honduras. That patch is currently affecting their beaches, but is slowly making its way toward Quintana Roo.
He says within two weeks, not only is it expected to show up, it will likely increase in size by the time it does arrive. He says the Spring brings a new arrival of the blooming algae due to the rise in seawater temperatures, which accelerates its reproduction.
As the hot days increase the presence of sargassum will also increase, he explained adding that currently, beaches with the highest levels of sargassum are in the municipalities of Solidaridad and Tulum. Several areas between Cancun and Puerto Morelos have also begun recording high levels of beached seaweed.
