by Donald Wood
Last updated: 10:40 AM ET, Fri September 15, 2023
In the endless battle against sargassum invading the beach
of the Mexican Caribbean, the popular destination of Tulum is launching a new
initiative to stop the arrival of the stinky seaweed.
According to the Cancun
Sun, Tulum-Municipal President Diego Castanon announced the new
comprehensive containment plan, dubbed Tulum Against Sargassum. As part of the
proposal, the local government will work to stop the seaweed from reaching the
region’s pristine beaches by diverting it at sea.
Tulum took delivery of five new anti-sargassum vessels and
other equipment that will be added to the region’s existing fleet, which uses
sargassum-catching dragnets to stop the seaweed from reaching the shore.
“Today, we delivered five vehicles and tools to Zofemat
Tulum, marking a milestone in our fight against this macroalgae,” Castanon told
QuintanaRooHOY.
“Our goal is to maintain beaches of quality and sustainability.”
In addition, the local government is utilizing extensive
at-sea barrier systems that can divert the sargassum to “outgoing currents that
will naturally drag the algae out to the depths of the Atlantic Ocean.”
While Castanon admitted that nothing can 100 percent stop
the arrival of seaweed, the region is also looking to maximize the use of the
sargassum once it is collected. Plans have been pitched for the algae to be
used as building materials, bio-fertilizers and cosmetic ingredients.
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