Crowdsourcing for Sargassum Monitoring Along the Beaches in Quintana Roo

In recent years, the unusual arrival of Sargassum to the coasts of the Caribbean Sea has caused considerable damage, both economic and ecological. The monitoring of this macroalgae is a major challenge for researchers. Historically, satellite remote-sensing has been used for this purpose; however, limitations in the temporal and spatial resolution of available satellite platforms do not allow for the monitoring of Sargassum on beach coastlines. The increase in the capacity of communication and the decrease in the costs of technology have enhanced users’ access to intelligent mobile devices. Crowdsourcing has proven to be successful in combining informational technology with a collaborative solution to complex problems. This study demonstrates how crowdsourcing and the new technologies, can be used to monitor Sargassum on the beaches in Quintana Roo, complementing satellite monitoring.