Sea Turtle Found Trapped in Sargassum During Nesting Season

For weeks, sargassum buildup has worsened along Belize’s coastline. Today, the Belize Coast Guard shared images of locals helping a large sea turtle trapped in thick seaweed at Bacalar Chico, a UNESCO World Heritage site on northern Ambergris Caye.

While sargassum supports marine life in the open ocean, it can harm coastal ecosystems and tourism once ashore.

It comes just weeks after the official start of turtle nesting season, when beaches from Ambergris Caye to the Sapodilla Cayes, Turneffe, Lighthouse Reef, and Glover’s Reef expect mother turtles to come ashore to lay eggs.

Meanwhile, Mexico has officially declared sargassum a national fishing resource, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (SADER). The update to the National Fisheries Charter allows harvesting on the high seas from 7 August 2025.

“This event is a significant milestone in the management of our country’s marine resources, opening the door to a technical, sustainable management and economic use of sargassum,” SADER said.

The Mexican Caribbean has faced years of heavy sargassum invasions that hurt tourism.

The Mexican government aims to collect up to 945,000 tonnes annually for industrial use, including fertilizers, biofuels, bioplastics, textiles, and even bricks.