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Since May 2025, the local government of Cadiz has removed 1,200 tons of this algae from La Caleta, the city’s most popular beach. “We’re totally overwhelmed. This is an environmental catastrophe,” declared Jose Carlos Teruel, head of the beaches on Cadiz City Council.
The species, “Lugropteryx Okamurae,” is believed to have travelled through the Suez Canal and arrived at ballast tanks of unloading ships in the Mediterranean, and is colonized in the Strait of Gibraltar, the Straits of the southern Spanish coast, the Canary Islands, the Canary Islands, the Navy Os, and even further north of the sea. It was first detected in Ceuta 10 years ago by researchers at the University of Malaga.
Devastating economic and ecological impacts
Algae has a major negative impact on multiple sectors of the local economy. Tourism in Cadiz and Tarifa, popular destinations for Windsurfers, is influenced by the large presence of this algae on the beach. Fisheries activities are also suffering from consequences as algae trap fishermen’s nets and lines and deplete oxygen in the seawater.
The most worrying impact lies in biodiversity. At La Caleta Beach, algae replace many native plants, and it is not yet clear whether this damage is temporary or irreversible. “rugulopteryx okamurae” adheres to rocks and other surfaces, eliminating natural algae. Experts say the lack of natural predators in the area replicates both sexual and asexual, combining it with the ability to absorb toxins and toxins.
Juan Jose Vergara, a professor of biology at Cadiz University, says that the first stage of such an invasion is “like detecting cancer in time before it spreads.” However, current scales make it uncontrollable, and only a small portion of what is present in the water that reaches the beach.
From problems to energy resources
Seaweed is currently being dumped in landfills, which is an additional cost to taxpayers. Local businesses that recycle seaweed to make drink containers or use them as fuel and fertilizer have applied for permission to use “rugulopteryx okamurae” as biomass for energy production.
However, Spanish law on invasive species prohibits commercial exploitation unless it poses a threat to health and safety or promotes eradication. This week, the Andalusian Regional Government launched a four-party plan to tackle the crisis, based on research, surveillance and education, including algae recycling options.
The local government needs to negotiate with the Ministry of the Environment Use algae as biomassVergara warns that even if an agreement is reached, this measure is only part of the solution. “That’s an interesting idea, but I don’t think that when hundreds of thousands of tons can reach a single beach, we can eradicate or significantly reduce the strength of intrusion,” he concludes.
