Tag:
Sargassum
Community and Society
San Pedro Town Council Advances Infrastructure Works Across the Island
The San Pedro Town Council (SPTC) continues to carry out a series of infrastructure improvements across the island, focusing on road conditions, drainage systems, and environmental concerns. As part of these efforts, crews completed initial repairs on the Boca del Rio Bridge on Tuesday, March 17th, and Wednesday, March 18th, working from 6PM each evening. The work included replacing damaged cobblestones and paving in affected areas, while other upgrades like drain cleaning, maintenance hole repairs, and sargassum removal are being done in various parts of town.
Community and Society
Over 100 Tons of Early Sargassum Cleared From San Pedro Beaches
San Pedro Town experienced an unusually early influx of sargassum, which began washing ashore on public beaches on Monday, January 26, 2026. The San Pedro Town Council immediately mobilized its cleanup team to respond.
Environment
Restoring San Pedro’s Beaches Amid Persistent Erosion and Sargassum Challenges
Beach restoration efforts in San Pedro Town are progressing slowly as authorities contend with a long-standing erosion problem that has been intensified by increasing sargassum influxes. Environmental consultant Valentine Rosado says the situation requires sustainable, science-based solutions rather than short-term fixes.
Community and Society
Islanders join National Coastal and Riverways Cleanup
Several groups across the country participated in the National Coastal and Riverways Cleanup on Saturday, September 27th. In San Pedro Town, Ambergris Caye, three cleanup efforts were organized, including a sargassum removal along the eastern coast and a road and beach cleanup in northern Ambergris Caye. Together, participants collected large amounts of trash and sargassum.
Business & Economy
San Pedro Businesses Struggle Amid Record Sargassum Influx
This year has brought record levels of Sargassum to the Caribbean, with unprecedented amounts of the brown algae affecting coastlines across the region, including Belize. On Ambergris Caye, the heavy influx has forced some beachfront businesses in San Pedro Town to shorten operating hours, while others have extended seasonal closures until October, when the seaweed is expected to subside.
Environment
Grants to Combat Sargassum Made Available by the Belize Fund for a Sustainable Future
A quarter million dollars in grant funding has been allocated to the Belize Tourism Industry Association (BTIA) and the Belize Hotel Association (BHA) under the Belize Fund for a Sustainable Future to help combat the ongoing Sargassum influx. The funds will support coastal communities struggling with the seaweed and assist established beachfront businesses with clean-up efforts.
Conservation
Delicate Balance at Risk: Belize Reef Battles Record Sargassum Levels
A severe environmental crisis is unfolding along the northern coastline of Ambergris Caye. An unprecedented influx of sargassum seaweed is impacting the Belize Barrier Reef, particularly the Bacalar Chico Marine Reserve and National Park. The decomposing seaweed along the shoreline and near the reef is causing massive marine mortality and disrupting the ecosystem. Conservation groups and marine scientists are urgently documenting the damage and calling on the government to declare the sargassum event a national disaster.
Environment
Sea Turtle Nesting Season Brings Both Challenges and Hope
The ongoing sea turtle nesting season on Ambergris Caye is showing both encouraging progress and pressing challenges, according to local conservation experts. So far, 40 sea turtle nests have been confirmed, involving both green and loggerhead turtles. Weekly patrols by biologists and Hol Chan Marine Reserve (HCMR) rangers have located these nests, leading to the successful release of 451 hatchlings near the reef.