A "very strong" sargassum season ahead: Tulum to install sea barriers

Due to an early arrival of sargassum on Mexican state beaches, Tulum is being forced to deal with this issue earlier than usual, according to a report in Riviera Maya News.

The report noted that the Tulum Federal Maritime Terrestrial Zone (Zofemat) has announced that, towards the end of April, the Navy will install an anti-Sargassum network off the coast, in the area of the National Park, in order to protect its public beaches.

Sargassum, considered a nuisance by many, is a genus of large brown seaweed – a type of algae –  that floats in masses and never attaches to the seafloor.

Director of the Zofemat, Melitón González Pérez, was quoted as saying that before the official start of a "very strong sargassum season,” the municipality chose a site for disposal where the brown algae will be transferred. He did not specify where this site was located.

“We continue to work in coordination because a very strong sargassum season is coming up, so we want to be coordinated to be able to make out as well as possible by being able to remove the algae from the beaches,” González Pérez was quoted as saying.

The director of Zofemat also suggested implementing two sargassum collection boats off the coast of Tulum, "in order to avoid mass landings on the beaches,” the outlet reported.

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