Overview
- Late May monitoring shows 65 of 140 beaches in Quintana Roo are in 'semáforo rojo', meaning heavy sargassum is affecting at least the first five nautical miles and often blocking swimming.
- Officials say the season began early in January and forecast arrivals could exceed 90,000 tonnes this year, with near-term increases driven by strong southeasterly winds.
- The federal Navy (SEMAR) and local authorities have reinforced operations with about 150 additional personnel, more barriers and a high-capacity sargassum vessel able to collect roughly 600 tonnes a day.
- Hotels and resorts are installing private antisargassum barriers and paying for extra cleanup, and the hotel association estimates annual control costs near $150 million for the region.
- Local brigades and service providers report removal capacity is already strained, which raises risks for beach closures, persistent odors, higher operating costs and broader damage to the tourism economy.