San Pedro Sees Early Sargassum Landfall

Sargassum has already begun washing ashore far earlier than expected this year, with recent footage confirming landfall in San Pedro last Friday. 

Minister of Blue Economy and Area Representative for Belize Rural South, Andre Perez, told News Five that while the situation is concerning, preparations are already underway. “It’s always concerning, but we have been preparing… We’re planning out as a Sargassum task force about getting the funding. The barriers are going to be installed. We’re getting beach rigs, especially for Placencia,” Perez said.

Perez admitted that the sheer volume of Sargassum could overwhelm cleanup efforts and said the government is looking beyond short-term responses. He pointed to long-term solutions now under discussion, “whereby we are engaging with companies who will be able to come in and convert that material into energy.”

He explained that while such projects will take time, the goal is to have systems in place within the next three to five years that can turn the seasonal challenge into a renewable energy source.

Meanwhile, the National Meteorological Service of Belize reported that the latest satellite imagery shows a few Sargassum mats offshore and along coastal areas. Northerly winds are expected to keep most mats offshore in the short term, but more mats are likely to drift ashore by mid- to late week.

The probability of Sargassum impact for San Pedro Town, Caye Caulker, Hopkins, and Placencia is currently at a medium level, with expected impacts described as moderate.