Authorities from the Secretariat of Urban Development and Environment (Secretaría de Desarrollo Urbano y Medio Ambiente: Seduma), discarded having a record of the presence of “patches” of red tide in the Yucatan coast, despite the fact that some fishermen from San Felipe, Rio Lagartos and Las Coloradas reported sightings of floating dead fish near the shore, situation that could be provoked by other factors.
The head of Seduma, Eduardo Batllori Sampedro, explained in an interview that the season for the possible appearance of this phenomenon occurs between the months of May and September, although the case of sporadic red tide “patches” is possible.
He pointed out that according to the records of the past years, the red tides that have affected the coast of Yucatán, have been recorded between August and September.
“So far we have no record, there may be some “patches” but these do not represent a major problem or a a significant impact on the ecosystem,” he said.
The state official reaffirmed that when the tide is very large and a massive mortality of organisms begins to occur, it is highly recommended that people do not eat these fish, because they could get sick.
Batllori Sampedro explained that the appearance of the red tide in the state maintains two points of origin:
One that is linked to the current of the Yucatan channel and that from May onwards accelerate the bottom currents, which rise to the surface loaded with nutrients with warmer and more transparent waters that generate an explosion of life and a mixture of seaweed.
Another, he continued, is linked to the rains, since in the area of Dzilam de Bravo and the cenotes ring there are large loads of nitrogen and silicates that dissolve with the rock, with which the algae blooms.
He recalled that there is a committee in charge of monitoring the red tide in the Yucatan coast, and that it was formed in coordination with the Federal Commission for Protection against Sanitary Risks (Comisión Federal para la Protección de Riesgo Sanitario: Cofepris), which is responsible for the monitoring of food and beverage establishments.
“The Coferpris carries out a follow-up at restaurants and Civil Protection is responsible for the collection and removal of organisms on the beach and in any case, bury them according to protocol,” Batllori Sampedro concluded.
Source: SIPSE
