MARCH UPDATE #2 on the State of Sargassum! As the sargassum season approaches, Mexico has put together a comprehensive plan to monitor it, deal with most of it at sea, and clean what does make it to shore. You can read an article about it here!
MARCH UPDATE on the State of Sargassum! This high season there has been virtually no sargassum on Puerto Morelos beaches! What little sargassum and sea grass does appear has been quickly handled by the dedicated workers in Puerto Morelos tasked with keeping the beach clean (thank you all)! It’s a great time to come to the beaches!
Original Article:
If you follow any news from Puerto Morelos, Cancun, or the Riviera Maya in preparing for your trip, you have undoubtedly seen a lot of information on the state of sargassum washing up on the beaches.
What is Sargassum or Sargasso?
You can google to learn more about Sargassum (or Sargasso) as many people have differing views on the issue.
Generally, sargasso is a living seaweed that floats on the top of the open ocean. In normal quantities, it’s part of the ecology and provides benefits to both sea life and the beaches. But in abnormal quantities, it can be an ecology problem, and beach problem, and most definitely a tourism problem since everyone loves a clean, pristine beach to enjoy. While authorities monitor currents to try to determine arrival times and locations, it’s an inexact science, so all of the areas must prepare for it. The wonderful people of Puerto Morelos work hard on a daily basis to rake and clean the beach, and manage the sargasso. The state of sargassum is better some days than others. But even on bad days, there’s so many other things to do, we hope you won’t be disappointed.
What is being done about it?
Recently, the government installed Sargasso barriers in the waters off the beach. Operating much like oil spill barriers, these barricades work to catch the Sargasso before it hits the beaches. They are designed to be friendly for the sea life, and they seem to be working (in addition to some beach raking).
While not the panacea solution, the sargasso around Las Casitas has been minimal and the water has been clear.
Here is a recent map showing the state of Sargasso throughout the Riviera Maya.
UPDATED MAP:
The above is an updated map of the sargasso status in the Riviera Maya as of November 6th.
Thanks much to all the hard workers maintaining the barriers and raking the beach!
Experience everything the Riviera Maya has to offer, from a great central location, mostly sargasso free, at Las Casitas!