Sargazo can already fish
The Official Gazette of the Federation ( DOF ) of August 6 announced its incorporation into the National Fisheries Charter, the document that regulates fishing in Mexico.
The National Fisheries Charter is a public policy instrument that has information on the diagnosis and comprehensive evaluation of fishing and aquaculture activity, with indicators of availability and conservation of resources in federal waters.
The intention of this measure, in addition to its use as raw material, is to prevent the coast from reaching the coast through Altamar fishing, a situation that the National Council of Humanities, Sciences and Technologies (Conahcyt) has raised.
The head of the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (Semarnat), Alicia Bárcena, celebrated the measure and thanked Julio Berdegué, Secretary of Agriculture and Rual Development, and the Mexican Institute for Research in Sustainable Fisheries and Agriculture (Imipas) for achieving this step.
The Ministry of Agriculture described this fact as a transcendental milestone in the management of marine resources of our country, when the door opened to the technical, sustainable management and economic use of the sargass.
What can be used?
According to the DOF, the holopelágico sargazo is considered a natural resource that can be used as raw material of:
Food complement for animal breeding;
Fertilizers;
Biofuels;
Bioplastic;
Bioremediadores and purifiers for water treatment;
Fibers and dyes for the textile and footwear industry;
Biomaterials for brick elaboration; inter alia.
For its collection, the guidelines established by the Mexican authority must be followed, using vessels with attachments for the removal of organisms, such as the Océanico Sargacero ship Arm Natans BSO-101, designed by the Secretariat of the Navy.
This ship has the ability to collect 250 tons of sargassum and can remain at highlight for up to five days.
When can you fish?
According to the DOF, Sargazo may be used as of August 7, 2025, one day after the publication of the document. However, for this it is required:
Research and technological innovation for fishing methods that minimize accompaniment fauna, as well as studies to know the resource biomass and establish reference points;
Governance: The fishery ordination of the holopelágico sargassum should be strengthened through the regulations and the fishing management plan.
Strategies and tactics for management: It is proposed to establish capture fees per fishing season.
It is proposed to be an annual use of 945 km3 (945,000 tons) of dry sargazo).
What is sargazo?
Sargasso is a set of seaweed, Sargassum Natans and Sargassum Fluitans species are floating organisms that arrive at the Caribbean beaches, including the Mexican Caribbean.
According to the Ministry of Science, Humanities, Technology and Innovation (Secihti), an unusual growth of these algae has been observed that cause their massive arrival to the coast.
When the sargassum accumulates on the beach, sulfide acid is broken down and produced, which emits an intense foul smell and can reach serious levels of toxicity for humans.
Sargasso is severely affecting ecosystems, species of high biological value, fishing and beach tourism.
