Mexico’s government has launched a $115 million initiative to address an unprecedented influx of seaweed, known as sargassum, along the country’s Caribbean coastline, a development threatening the region’s vital tourism sector.
President Claudia Sheinbaum announced the multi-pronged plan on Thursday, detailing efforts that include deploying two specialized 200-foot vessels capable of collecting over three tons of seaweed per minute from the open waters off Mexico’s east coast. The Mexican Navy will also install more than 30 miles of containment barriers to intercept the seaweed before it reaches the shore, while hundreds of military personnel, hotel staff, and local government workers will support cleanup operations using heavy machinery and manual labor.
Officials warn that the current volume of sargassum is breaking records. Environmental authorities estimate that up to 9,000 tons of the algae are arriving daily along the coast of Quintana Roo, the state home to prominent tourist destinations such as Cancun and Tulum. This figure marks a fourfold increase compared to last year and is 27 times higher than the historical daily average for the region.
The surge poses a significant threat to Mexico’s economy, where tourism accounts for nearly 9 percent of gross domestic product. Visitors have reported dissatisfaction, with some reconsidering travel plans due to the extensive seaweed accumulation. A recent study attributed an average 11 percent decline in local economic activity to sargassum presence, with lingering impacts lasting up to a year after initial beach contamination.
Since emerging beyond its historic North Atlantic habitat in 2011, sargassum proliferation has been driven by altered wind patterns, increased nutrient runoff from agriculture in Africa and Brazil, and rising ocean temperatures linked to climate change. While sargassum provides essential habitats for marine life in its native zones, its mass arrival on Caribbean beaches creates thick, malodorous piles that smother coastal ecosystems and release gases such as hydrogen sulfide and ammonia, which can pose health risks to humans. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recommends avoiding areas with decomposing sargassum due to these hazards.
The accumulation also leads to “brown tide” conditions offshore, where decomposing algae reduce oxygen levels in the water and result in fish kills. Mexican authorities aim to mitigate these impacts primarily by intercepting seaweed at sea. One ship with a 200-ton carrying capacity is already operational in the Caribbean Sea, according to Navy Secretary Raymonddo Morakes Angeles. A second vessel, capable of holding 700 tons, is stationed on Mexico’s Pacific coast and expected to join operations within a month after transiting the Panama Canal.
Both ships are modified roll-on, roll-off vessels equipped with a continuous-loop collection system underneath the bow designed to scoop seaweed from the ocean surface. Complementary smaller boats will tow nets to capture sargassum closer to shore. On land, the navy plans to deploy over 300 soldiers to assist with disposal efforts alongside hundreds of workers from state and local agencies and hotel sectors.
The financial burden on beachfront properties is substantial. Roberto Cintrón, former president of a local hotel association, estimates that cleaning a single yard of beach can cost up to $60 monthly, adding up significantly over extensive coastlines. At Oasis Hotels & Resorts in Cancun, around 200 employees work in rotating shifts to manage the constant seaweed influx, according to Jesús Almaguer, the company’s commercial director.
Industry leaders have praised the coordinated approach. Iván Chávez, executive vice president of Grupo Vidanta, a major resort developer, described the investment as “the most comprehensive response to sargassum in the world,” noting that previous efforts were fragmented among individual hotels and municipalities.
The sargassum phenomenon extends beyond Mexico, with similar outbreaks reported across the Caribbean and South Florida, where the algae have affected beaches in Miami and caused widespread fish deaths in the Florida Keys. The Dominican Republic, also grappling with record seaweed levels, is reportedly considering acquiring a Mexican collection ship. Mexico’s environment secretary, Alicia Bárcena Ibarra, announced plans for an international summit in Cancun this October, expected to include officials from the Caribbean and Brazil to coordinate regional responses to the growing environmental challenge.