Heavy sargassum buildup at El Recodo beach in Playa del Carmen forces up to four daily tour cancellations, damages boat engines, and challenges cleanup crews, straining local tourism and fishing cooperatives.
In Playa del Carmen, a heavy buildup of sargassum at El Recodo beach has forced local cooperatives to cancel up to four daily high-sea tours. Boats that normally launch from this coastal stretch now sit idle as thick mats of decomposing seaweed make boarding impossible. Tourism and fishing cooperatives that rely on offshore excursions for sport fishing and water activities have seen steady declines in bookings since the sargassum first grounded in early May. Operators face mounting pressure from frustrated customers who refuse to walk through foul-smelling algal deposits just to reach the docks.
José Gómez Burgos, secretary of the Caribbean Sea Tourism Cooperative, said tourists avoid the El Recodo docking area because they cannot stand the smell of rotting sargassum. He explained that walking along the shoreline has become difficult, and many visitors simply turn back once they see how unstable the beach has become. “There were about four or five cancellations each day,” Gómez Burgos said. “We try to adapt by taking guests to other locations, but many still cancel when they don’t see safe or pleasant conditions for the activity.”
El Recodo beach serves as a hub for various tourism and fishing cooperatives in the municipality. These groups depend on daily trips to the reef for sport-fishing clients and recreational boaters. Before the latest influx of sargassum, cooperatives averaged eight to ten departures per day during the high season. Now, they struggle to guarantee even four trips. The constant cancellations have cut revenue by nearly 50 percent for some small co-ops, which lack the capital to quickly move operations to alternate launch points.
Beyond lost bookings, boat engines face severe damage when they power through dense sargassum patches offshore. Modern outboard motors cost up to 20,000 pesos, and many have already required costly repairs in previous seasons. Gómez Burgos warned that as long as the algae keeps arriving, engine failures will mount. “The transmissions collapse when we force the motors through thick mats,” he said. “We already spent tens of thousands on repairs earlier this season, and the risk only grows.”
The economic ripple extends beyond cooperatives’ balance sheets. Tour guides, dockworkers, captains, and the local taxi drivers who shuttle guests to El Recodo also report sharp declines in income. As tour companies cancel courses, workers who rely on tips and commissions find themselves without hours. Many are now seeking odd jobs to make ends meet, a worrisome sign as peak summer tourism approaches.
Sargassum has plagued the coast of Quintana Roo for years, but this season’s arrival stands out for its volume and length of shoreline affected. The worst hit zone lies near the city’s main square, where municipal workers from the Federal Maritime Land Zone Directorate (Zofemat) labor daily to remove hundreds of tons of seaweed. Front-end loaders scoop damp piles into trucks that haul them to designated containment areas outside city limits. Despite these efforts, fresh mats wash ashore almost as quickly as crews clear them.
At the heart of the cleanup, Zofemat crews work sunrise to sunset along a two-kilometer stretch adjoining downtown Playa del Carmen. Trash bins near the beach brim with discarded debris tangled in sargassum. The odor of decay hangs over nearby restaurants and beachfront properties, prompting some businesses to install temporary air filters. Residents living on side streets off Fifth Avenue have voiced concerns about lower foot traffic, as patrolling tourists avoid the stench and instability along the coast.
Municipal authorities acknowledge that removal efforts lag behind the rate of arrival. A Zofemat spokesperson reported that daily inflows of sargassum now exceed 200 metric tons—double the amount recorded in the same period last year. Workers struggling to keep pace rely on a mix of machinery and manual labor. “We’re doing our best,” said the spokesperson. “But the sargassum keeps coming, and until the winds shift offshore, we won’t see relief.”
Environmental specialists warn that sargassum blooms originate hundreds of miles away in the Atlantic, fueled by nutrient runoff and warmer water temperatures. Currents funnel the algae toward the Caribbean, where it accumulates along coastal reefs and beaches. Scientists predict that climate change and fertilizer-rich runoff from rivers will further increase bloom frequency and volume. Without coordinated international measures to address pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, coastal towns like Playa del Carmen will face worsening conditions each summer.
Local tour operators are calling on state and federal governments to step in with additional resources. They request satellite monitoring of sargassum plumes, early warning systems, and funding for larger collection vessels equipped with conveyor belts. Currently, small tractors and front loaders serve as the primary cleanup tools. With government support, cooperatives hope to deploy larger skimming boats capable of gathering sargassum offshore before it reaches the shore. Such vessels have shown promise in nearby municipalities but remain costly and in short supply.
Meanwhile, businesses are adapting to salvage some revenue. Several operators have offered land-based tours highlighting nearby cenotes, Mayan archaeological sites, and jungle expeditions. Others have shifted to eco-tours that emphasize turtle-nesting sites farther up the coast—areas not yet overrun by sargassum. While these alternatives attract curious visitors, they cannot fully replace revenue generated by popular reef excursions. Sport fishing, especially, remains difficult to replicate in inland settings.
Residents held a small protest on Friday afternoon along Fifth Avenue, urging the government to act faster. Carrying signs that read “Save Our Beaches” and “Protect Our Jobs,” protesters marched toward the municipal office. They demanded transparent updates on cleanup budgets and assurances that new strategies would reduce cancellations. Local councilor María López addressed the crowd, promising to lobby state legislators. “We understand your frustration,” López said. “We will fight for additional funding and coordinate with environmental agencies to mitigate this crisis.”
As the summer season intensifies, the fate of local cooperatives hangs in the balance. If sargassum continues at current levels, operators brace for deeper financial losses. Yet, some remain optimistic that swift government intervention and shifting currents could ease the burden. “We just need a break,” said Gómez Burgos. “Our boats and our livelihoods depend on a clear, safe coastline. Until then, we’ll keep cleaning, repairing, and hoping for calm seas.”
With “sargassum buildup Playa del Carmen” disrupting daily tours, the community faces more than an environmental nuisance—it grapples with a threat to its economic stability. Unless coordinated action curbs future blooms or speeds removal, El Recodo’s shoreline may remain buried under algal masses for months to come. As tourists seek cleaner beaches elsewhere, the impacts will ripple through the wider Riviera Maya, underscoring the urgent need to address the root causes of sargassum proliferation.
