Playa del Carmen Removes 1,700 Tons of Sargassum from Local Beaches

With the winter holiday season now in effect and old man winter’s icy blast coming down from the north, thoughts of travelers may be beyond sugar plums and instead towards somewhere warm and tropical. As you plan ahead for your warm weather vacation in the Mexican Caribbean with your feet in the sand and a …

For most travelers to Cozumel island in the Mexican Caribbean, seaweed is an annoying part of a beach vacation getaway. It washes up on the shore and if not removed in a short period of time becomes a stinky unsightly coastal invader.  Even the hotels and local authorities hate the presence of sargassum in the …

Seaweed is big business in the Philippines and it’s about to get even bigger. The Philippine Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) recently announced that it will commit nearly $18 million in funding to the Enhanced Philippine Seaweed Development Program for 2025. Investing in Seaweed Cultivation According to an official statement from the government …

Riviera Maya hoteliers have confirmed that $300 million in financing has been secured from international funds and the European Union to help address the significant financial and environmental impacts caused by sargassum across Quintana Roo. These resources will support research projects and companies developing commercial products to make use of the algae and potentially generate …

A few weeks ago, the Municipal President of Solidaridad, Estefanía Mercado, acknowledged the serious consequences that worsening beach erosion in the region—exacerbated by sargassum collection—could have on the tourism sector. Despite recognizing the vital role beaches play in driving tourism, the official stated that the city council lacked the financial resources to tackle the problem …

Sargassum, that annoying macroalgae washing up on the shores of your favorite beach just may now have a higher calling thanks to some innovative scientists in Barbados.  According to an article in the Antigua Observer newspaper, some crafty engineers have been able to take ordinary seaweed and turn it into a useful biofuel to power …

While the 2024 sargassum season has officially ended, small patches of seaweed continue to wash up on Quintana Roo’s shorelines here and there. Nothing to be worried about—the algae has been a natural part of the sea for centuries and, in low amounts, it even benefits marine ecosystems. Recently, favorable weather conditions in the Atlantic …

Tourists heading for a stay in the Virgin Islands this year will have a mostly seaweed-free experience at one popular local resort due to recent investments made to combat the macroalgae. Seaweed Free at the Ritz The Ritz Carlton resort in the Virgin Islands announced recently that it has made a significant investment in the …

Over the past three years, the Mexican government and private sector have been supporting and funding both commercial and academic projects aiming at finding innovative solutions to mitigate the sargassum problem in Quintana Roo. This November, BBVA’s National Sustainability Challenge, in collaboration with the Riviera Maya Hotel Association (AHRM), will recognize three standout projects that …

The 2024 sargassum season in Mexico brought significantly less seaweed than predicted. Could this be a sign that 2025 might also be “good” for tourism? Data collected over the last four weeks confirms that the unwelcome sargassum season in the Mexican Caribbean has officially ended, leaving considerable losses, particularly in the tourism and fishing industries, …