TULUM | Well, it’s good news — Tulum has announced plans to install brand new barriers and a disposal site to combat the influx of the brown seaweed washing up on the shores, which seems to be quite stubborn of late; these efforts will help get things back under control, and keeping the pristine white beaches free of sargassum.
How Much Sargassum Is There?
It’s been reported by The Municipal Directorate of the Federal Maritime Terrestrial Zone (Zofemat) that in January and February this year, believe it or not, almost 1000 tons of sargassum was removed from Tulum’s beautiful beaches – which is almost four times the amount from the 284 tons it received in the first two months of 2022; 234 tons for January and a whopping 730 tons in February.
These cleaning days were reportedly from the beaches of Mezzanine, Maya, Pescadores, and Santa Fe within the Jaguar National Park and Punta Piedra in the hotel zone.
Is The Sargassum Situation Easing?
The University of South Florida, together with the National Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), is monitoring the situation and looking at the satellite images; it’s going to get worse…
Melitón González Pérez, who runs the Federal Maritime Terrestrial Zone (Zofemat) in Tulum, has warned that there’s going to be even more macroalgae arriving in March. Still, it’s been said that they’re ready to tackle the ‘very strong season of sargassum’, that’s about to hit the shores. They have already set up a disposal site to collect all the seaweed which will be washed up on the beaches.
What Is Being Done To Combat The Sargassum?
After a meeting between government officials, the Secretary of the Navy said they would be placing a 100km long anti-sargassum wall around the National Park area, due to be built at the end of April – which is going to be great for the public beaches.
In this meeting, he said: “We continue to work in coordination because a solid sargassum season is coming up, so we want to be coordinated to be able to get out as well as possible and be able to remove the algae from the beaches,”
It was also said that they came up with the proposal to have not one but two sargassum gathering platforms in the open sea; they keep the masses of seaweed from coming to the shores.
Also, José Ángel Pérez from the Secretary of Environment Ecology (SEMA) mentioned they’re thinking of bringing specific equipment to collect seaweed from the beaches of Tulum – so with all this in mind, it seems like they are doing their utmost in keeping their beaches clean.
Tulum is mostly known for its ancient Mayan ruins and boho chic vibe – but more predominantly for its clear blue waters and sugary white sandy beaches, so as the sargassum efforts are in full swing, you might be wondering what beaches you should visit.
Firstly you have Playa Ruinas, which is a stunning beach that lies by the Mayan ruins, not forgetting the hidden gem of Playa Sante Fe and, without a doubt, one of the most beautiful beaches in Tulum, Playa Paraiso.
With Tulum having an unexpectedly large influx of sargassum for this time of year, it comes as great news that government officials are getting together to support the municipality of Tulum.
The efforts being made will drastically help reduce the amount of seaweed on the shores, ensuring that from now on, the beaches will be closely monitored and taken care of – so that not only locals but travelers and tourists can be free to enjoy Tulum’s beautiful beaches.
If you are concerned about your upcoming trip to these beaches, don’t forget Tulum has several other incredible attractions, such as Sian Ka’an, Laguna De Kaan Luum, and all of its magnificent cenotes it has to offer, so whatever you decide to do, you will not be disappointed!