Overview
- About 90,538 tonnes of sargassum are currently floating off Quintana Roo, a season the environment secretary called the most severe on record and roughly four times the 2025 volume.
- The federal Estrategia de Atención y Manejo del Sargazo announced July 30 commits 768.7 million pesos to buy two tugs, six coastal collectors, and barriers and sets targets to raise sea collection to about 1,870 tonnes per day in 2026 and 4,000 tonnes per day in 2027.
- Mexico’s Navy has led removal operations for years and reported about 96,151 tonnes collected so far in 2026, but current capacity of roughly 1,200 tonnes per day covers only about 30% of arrivals and leaves beaches and crews overwhelmed.
- Large beachings are hurting tourism and local businesses, with local estimates of sales down about 30% in the first half of the year and workers reporting job losses as hotels and restaurants see fewer visitors.
- Authorities and scientists warn stranded sargassum can release hydrogen sulfide and contain arsenic and heavy metals while federal, academic and private plans seek to industrialize biomass into biofertilizer, biochar and biogas and to coordinate regional aid at an October conference.