Giant Seaweed Masses Clog Beaches on Mexico's Caribbean Coastline Weather.com
go to original July 29, 2015

Tourists walk past large quantities of seaweed piling up on the beach in the Mexican resort city of Cancun, Mexico, Wednesday, July 15, 2015. (AP/Israel Leal)

Authorities on Mexico's Caribbean coast say they are redoubling efforts to remove tons of sargassum seaweed that has been washing ashore in recent weeks.

Gov. Roberto Borge said the cause of the invasion is still unknown, though it could be due to high levels of nutrients in ocean water or changes in ocean temperatures, currents or wind patterns.

The state government of Quintana Roo, where the resort of Cancun is located, said there have been no reports of tourists cancelling visits because of the problem.

Borge said the seaweed removal efforts will focus on much of the coast, from Holbox in the north down past Tulum to the south.

Photos issued by the Cancun city government show piles of brown seaweed on some normally pristine white beaches. By last week, the city said it had raked or shoveled up 500 cubic meters of sargassum.

Authorities have to be careful, because there are two groups of visitors they don't want to disturb with overly aggressive removal efforts: nesting sea turtles that return to the Caribbean beaches to lay their eggs, and tourists.

Read the rest at Weather.com

Related: Mexico to Spend $9.1 Million on Seaweed Cleanup (Associated Press)

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