Royal Caribbean says Mahahual sargassum pilot collected 977 metric tons

Royal Caribbean Group said on Wednesday 30 September that the first phase of its sargassum management programme in Mahahual, Mexico, collected 977 metric tons of seaweed over five months. The pilot was carried out by local non-profit Menos Plástico es Fantástico, with Royal Caribbean Group’s support, and focused mainly on the El Quebrado area.

According to Royal Caribbean Group, the next phase will run through November. It will increase in-water collection vessels from two to three and add cleanup work along the navigation channel between central Mahahual and the entrance to Quebrado Norte.

Teams collected sargassum from the reef lagoon before it reached shore, using in-water collection and nets, Royal Caribbean Group said. The material was taken to designated drying and processing areas, where waste and other material were separated.

The company said the pilot used 3,054 collection nets and produced 560 sacks of dried sargassum. It also documented marine species found in the collected seaweed, including sargassum crabs, juvenile triggerfish, sargassum shrimp and sargassum frogfish, and gathered macroplastics found during collection.

Royal Caribbean Group said it also supported the relocation and expansion of a sargassum barrier, including new anchors and technical equipment, in coordination with the Mahahual Sargassum Committee and the Mexican Navy, SEMAR.