Riviera Maya, Q.R. — Over 124,000 tons of sargassum has been removed from the Mexican Caribbean coast so far this year. That figure is over 29,000 tons more than last year, with approximately two months left to the 2026 seaweed season.
Mexico’s Ministry of Environment (Sema) says from April to August of this year, 124,852 tons of sargassum has been extracted from Quintana Roo beaches. That number represents 29,069 tons more than during the same period of 2025.
According to Secretaría de Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales (Sema), Playa del Carmen, the heart of Riviera Maya, had the highest concentration of sargassum in the Mexican Caribbean beaches this year.
Playa del Carmen led the way in seaweed collection followed by Cancun, Puerto Morelos, Tulum and Mahahual. To date, 42,063 tons of sargassum has been removed from the coast of Playa del Carmen while 29,899 tons has been collected in Cancun.
Puerto Morelos beaches were also hit harder than normal, collecting 17,111 tons. In Tulum, 16,471 tons has been removed. Beach areas around Mahahual and Xcalak in Othón P. Blanco reported 14,013 tons collected, while Isla Mujeres, officials say only 3,877 tons of sargassum was removed.
Beaches on the island of Cozumel have seen only 1,375 tons of sargassum this year. Of those
Collection was high along several key beach areas even though the Mexican Navy installed 12,855 meters of barriers at strategic points.
Of the 124,852 tons of seaweed removed so far this year, the State Government and municipalities cleared 71,864 tons of seaweed, while the Secretariat of the Navy (Semar) removed 52,988 tons.
The heavy sargassum season along the Mexican Caribbean typically starts around early April and completes its cycle toward the end of October.
