Riviera Maya, Q.R. — Navy sargassum vessels have collected 22,136 tons of seaweed. Rear Admiral Alejandro López Zenteno reported 11 coastal sargassum vessels have been deployed along with an oceanographic research vessel. He says patrols are being carried out between Puerto Morelos and Punta Nizuc.
He explained the Río Hondo ship has been in operation for six days, which, together with the smaller sargassum vessels, have collected 22,136 tons of seaweed.
Elvira Carvajal Hinojosa, the undersecretary of Environmental Protection said that 40 sections (610 meters) of sea barriers hav been reinstalled in Playa del Carmen and that work to reinstall the 1,200 meters in Puerto Morelos is underway. That project should be complete by Monday.
Forecasts and arrivals of sargassum are continually monitored based on satellite images of algal coverage and modeling of currents. The information, he says, helps to make decisions to deal with the problem and mitigate its impact as much as possible.
