2023 sargassum season officially over

In 2023, the Government of Quintana Roo officially announced the conclusion of the sargassum season. Throughout this period, a total of 22,000 tons of sargassum were removed from the state’s coastline.

To facilitate the collection efforts, 11 sargassum coastal vessels were constructed, along with 16 smaller vessels equipped with collecting devices. Additionally, 9,059 meters of barriers were strategically placed.

Notably, this season marked a significant decrease in the presence of sargassum along the coasts of the Mexican Caribbean. Furthermore, a noteworthy milestone was achieved as COFEPRIS granted the first official permit for the production of organic sargassum-based fertilizers to a company in Puerto Morelos. This project was a collaborative effort between the Secretariat of Environmental Ecology, the German Cooperation Agency GIZ, and the Federal Government.

In total, 22,128 tons of sargassum have been collected thus far in the current year. Since 2019, a cumulative amount of 225,648 tons of this macroalgae has been successfully removed, as detailed by the authorities.