Sargassum levels in Tulum drop significantly in march compared to february

Great news has recently arrived in Riviera Maya – the amount of sargassum has drastically reduced since February, reaching only a fifth of its previous level just a month ago. This is excellent news for both tourists and locals who have been struggling with the seaweed’s invasion for years.

The reduced presence of sargassum is seen as a positive sign that the region’s at-sea diversion tactics are finally paying off. Although it’s too early to celebrate and claim victory, it’s a step in the right direction.

With this improvement, visitors can now enjoy the pristine beaches and crystal-clear waters without the discomfort caused by the accumulation of seaweed. This decrease in sargassum also benefits the environment, marine life, and the tourism industry as a whole.

Riviera Maya is now more attractive than ever, offering a rejuvenating escape for those seeking an unforgettable vacation experience. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to indulge in the natural beauty of Riviera Maya, now with fewer obstacles in the way.

Sargassum Free Areas

It’s rare this time of year for authorities to give the news that many areas of the Riviera Maya will be sargassum free. Tulum, Cancun, Puerto Morelos, and Cozumel are all expected to see fantastically low levels of sargassum reach the shore. So little that many areas are expecting no clean-up operation at all.

In February, sargassum levels were recorded at over 27,000 tons. Meanwhile, in March so far, just over 6,000 tons have been recorded, showing a 78% decrease. This has meant the authorities have changed the sargassum monitoring level from category 7 (very abundant) to category 2 (very low).

What is sargassum?

Sargassum is a type of brown seaweed commonly found in the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea. Although it plays an important role in the marine ecosystem by providing food and shelter for various species of fish and other marine life, it can also cause problems when it washes ashore in large quantities.

In recent years, Cancun and the Riviera Maya have been affected by the arrival of large quantities of sargassum on their famous beaches.

This has been a huge headache for both tourists and locals, as well as becoming an unwanted financial burden for those resorts forced to employ clean-up crews.

The sargassum build-up can produce a strong, unpleasant odor, making the beaches and waters less appealing to tourists.

It’s not difficult to see the issue with one of the world’s greatest beach destinations being blanketed by this natural phenomenon.

What’s Being Done?

To combat this problem, the Riviera Maya authorities and tourism industry have been working tirelessly to remove the seaweed once it makes landfall.

Hardworking cleaning operatives have become a common sight on the beaches, using everything from high-tech beach cleaning vehicles to pitchforks and wheelbarrows. There’s no shortage of commitment to solving this issue.

Furthermore, to prevent it from washing ashore, the Mexican Navy has been playing an important role. This has involved using boats to collect the seaweed offshore and dragging it into tidal streams that pull it out into the open ocean.

As well as this, the most problematic areas at sea have received high-tech barrier systems. These structures stop much of the sargassum from ever reaching the Riviera Maya coastline.

But even with these huge efforts at sea, large amounts have still been making their way to the coast. Showing just how big of an issue sargassum has become.

Why This Is Surprising

This is news the area wasn’t expecting so soon, sargassum season came especially early this year, and there was a worry this might be the worst year yet.

Normally sargassum levels don’t show this big of a reduction until the month of August. Unsurprisingly, fingers are being crossed with April fast approaching. In the past, this has been the month when sargassum season arrives.

So, while this reduction is welcome, some questions remain unanswered. Has the peak sargassum season changed, or is this just a calm before the storm?

Enjoy It While It’s Good. While this issue is a constant in the minds of the tourism industry and local authorities, travelers should be safe in the knowledge that for the next few weeks at least, sargassum won’t be as big of an issue for those excited about their beach vacation.