Sargazo-Free Paradise in Tulum with $32 Million Guarantee

TULUM, México – After four years of grappling with the relentless influx of sargassum seaweed, the eight municipalities along the Mexican Caribbean’s coastline will finally receive crucial support from the state authorities. With over 32.3 million pesos earmarked for this season, the battle against the seaweed invasion takes on a new vigor.

Last year, the sargassum cleanup efforts were primarily focused on beaches in Benito Juárez and Puerto Morelos. However, this year, a comprehensive plan has been devised to tackle the situation across multiple locations. A grand total of 20 beaches in Solidaridad, 15 in Isla Mujeres, 11 in Puerto Morelos, seven in Benito Juárez and Cozumel, five in Tulum, and four each in Othón P. Blanco and Lázaro Cárdenas will be addressed.

To combat the massive arrival of sargassum on the shores of Quintana Roo, the State’s Secretariat of Ecology and Environment (SEMA) launched a National Public Tender, SEMA-DA-DRMP-LPN-003/2023, for the “Emergency Hiring of Sargassum Cleaning Services in response to the atypical influx on the state’s coasts.” This tender aims to cover removal, transfer, and transportation of sargassum to designated sites in each municipality.

According to the outcome of this tender, the awarded contract, amounting to a substantial 28,846,938 pesos, was secured by “Red Colectora, S.A. de C.V.”

The primary objective is to collaborate actively with all three levels of government, undertaking beach cleaning, removing sargassum, and transporting it to designated areas. This coordinated effort seeks to conserve and preserve the coastal environment, particularly in areas where the influx of sargassum has been excessive.

Scheduled to commence on August 1st and conclude on December 31st of 2023, this service will encompass a staggering two million, one hundred forty-seven thousand, five hundred square meters of beach area that must remain clean and free of sargassum. The removal of the macroalgae is required within 48 hours of its arrival on the shores.

In tandem with this initiative, the SEMA also executed the National Public Tender SEMA-DA-DRMP-LPN-001/2023, aimed at acquiring goods and materials necessary for maintaining the vessels involved in the Quintana Roo Sargassum Response Program for the 2023 season. The awarded contract for this endeavor was granted to “Constrod Condos, S.A. de C.V.,” with a total sum of three million five hundred twenty thousand pesos.

Furthermore, the SEMA is set to acquire 22 outboard motors for vessels, catering to the “Program of activities and financial coordination for the sargassum response strategy in the State of Quintana Roo.” The tender for this acquisition, identified as SEMA-DA-DRMP-LPN-004/2023, will disclose the contract’s successful bidder and the total amount on Monday, August 14th, 2023.

In past years, municipalities have borne the burden of handling the massive influx of sargassum once it surpasses the containment barriers in the sea, with the Secretariat of the Mexican Navy (Semar) assisting with seaweed collection using sargassum boats. However, the State’s sporadic cleanup efforts, conducted by personnel from various departments on selected weekends, have proven insufficient in keeping the beaches pristine.

Beaches to be attended to in each municipality are as follows:

Solidaridad: Playa Caribe, Avenida Constituyentes, Streets 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16 (Recodo), 28, 38, 40, 72, 88, Streets Cisne, Golondrinas, and Pelícanos, Punta Esmeralda, and Xcalacoco.

Isla Mujeres: Acapulquito, Aguakan, Andador Trigueña, Bachilleres, Centro, Chiapanecos, Guadalupe, Isla Blanca, La Joya, Media Luna, Norte, Playa Pet, Punta Sam, Rito, and Transfer Zone.

Puerto Morelos: Amar Inn-ojo de agua, Arrecofes-Kenwall, Casita Blanca-Único, Cayuse-Mercadito, Hacienda Morelos-Secundaria, Kenwall-Amar Inn, Mercadito-Pelicanos, Milla Verde-Casita Blanca, Ojo de agua-Cayuse, Pelícanos-Hacienda Morelos, and Único-Arrecifes.

Benito Juárez: Ballenas, Chacmool, Coral, Del niño, Del fines, Marlín, and Perlas.

Cozumel: Bonita, Box, Chen Río, Mirador San Martín, and San Martín.

Tulum: Maya, Mezzanine, Pescadores, Punta Piedra, and Santa Fe.

Othón P. Blanco: Bahía Chetumal, Calderitas, Mahahual, and Xcalak.

Lázaro Cárdenas: Caleta Kantunilkín, Playa Centro, Playa Norte, and Playa Punta Coco.