Mexico to unveil sargassum plan as crisis worsens in Caribbean

Key Points:

• Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum announced a comprehensive agreement to tackle the record sargassum crisis in Quintana Roo, following meetings with local tourism representatives.
• Quintana Roo has collected over 92,000 tons of sargassum this year, with expectations of reaching 119,000 tons by year-end, surpassing previous records and causing beach closures and increased costs for the tourism industry.
• The sargassum management costs are estimated at about $2 billion annually, equivalent to 11% of the state's GDP, with hotels spending around $150 million yearly on seaweed removal.
• The government plans to purchase additional vessels to intercept sargassum offshore and expand processing and recycling efforts, aiming to create a comprehensive system combining collection, cleaning, and utilization of the macroalgae.
• Experts link the surge in sargassum to rising ocean temperatures, increased nutrients, and longer solar radiation, factors contributing to accelerated growth in the tropical Atlantic.