Sargassum Season in Cancun Area Nearing Its End, Says Governor

Mara Lezama, Governor of Quintana Roo, announced that the 2025 sargassum season appears to be winding down ahead of schedule.

To date, the state has collected approximately 120,000 tons of the brown seaweed along its shores. Cleanup efforts continue as coastal teams remain vigilant for lingering influxes.

According to the Secretaría de Marina, during the week of October 11 – 17, 188.4 tons of sargassum were removed from the beach at Mahahual. This operation involved 74 Navy personnel and 80 civilians — including local business owners, restaurateurs, and service providers from the port — supported by specialized machinery and equipment.

Speaking on logistics, a Navy official detailed:

“We have an ocean-going vessel with a 250-ton capacity, 11 sargassum harvesting vessels with a capacity of 20 tons each, 22 smaller vessels, 9,500 linear meters of sargassum barriers installed, and an additional 7,500 meters planned for 2026.”

Meanwhile, Esteban Amaro, Director of the Quintana Roo Sargassum Monitoring Center, reported a sharp drop in landings in recent weeks:

“For almost two weeks now, we have noticed a significant decrease in the amount of sargassum arriving in the Mexican Caribbean. It is a very noticeable decrease.”

He added: “As of the last number I have, we were above the 100,000 tons collected at the end of August with an additional estimated 20,000 tons collected in September.”

According to the Red de Monitoreo del Sargazo de Quintana Roo (RMSQR), 88 out of 100 monitored beaches along the North coast of Quintana Roo are currently free of significant sargassum landings.

In the South Coast of Quintana Roo, the amounts of Sargassum are still significant.

The RMSQR, a citizen-science network that gathers real-time reports and satellite data on macro-algae incursions, works in collaboration with government agencies, local resorts and academic partners to track, inform and alert about sargassum arrival and beach-impact trends.

This positive trend is echoed by reports from the Facebook group Mexico Sargassum Seaweed Updates (Cancun, PDC, Tulum, etc.), where recent photographs and traveler accounts similarly indicate that most beaches in the Riviera Maya—from Cancun to Tulum—are largely clear of sargassum.

Together, these independent observations reinforce the assessment that seaweed levels across Quintana Roo have fallen sharply in recent weeks, offering a welcome reprieve for residents, businesses, and visitors alike.