Asian algae infesting southern Spanish beaches
The species, 'Rugulopteryx okamurae', which is believed to have arrived in the ballast tanks of ships passing through the Suez Canal and unloading in the Mediterranean, has colonised the Strait of Gibraltar, much of the southern Spanish coast, the Canary Islands, the Azores and, further north, the Cantabrian Sea and the Basque Country in little more than a decade. It was first detected ten years ago in Ceuta by a researcher from the University of Malaga.
Devastating economic and ecological impact
The algae is having a significant negative impact on multiple sectors of the local economy. Tourism in Cadiz and Tarifa, a popular destination for windsurfers, is affected by the massive presence of this algae on the beaches, which also produces a very unpleasant smell. Fishing activity also suffers the consequences, as the algae trap the fishermen's nets and lines, as well as depleting the oxygen in the seawater.
The most worrying impact is on biodiversity. At La Caleta beach, the algae has displaced many native plants, and it is not yet clear whether this damage is temporary or irreversible. 'Rugulopteryx okamurae' attaches itself to rocks and other surfaces, eliminating native algal species. Its lack of natural predators in the region, combined with its ability to reproduce both sexually and asexually and to absorb toxins, makes it virtually impossible to eradicate, according to experts.
Juan José Vergara, professor of biology at the University of Cadiz, explains that in the first phase of such an invasion it can be controlled, "it's like detecting a cancer in time before it spreads". However, the current scale makes control impossible, and what reaches the beaches is only a fraction of what exists underwater.
From problem to energy resource
Currently, seaweed is dumped in landfills, which is an additional cost to taxpayers. A local company that recycles seaweed to make beverage containers or use it as fuel and fertiliser has applied for permission to use 'Rugulopteryx okamurae' as biomass for energy production.
However, Spanish legislation on invasive species prohibits their commercial exploitation unless they pose a threat to health and safety or to facilitate their eradication, conditions that would appear to apply in this case. This week, the Andalusian regional government launched a four-party plan to tackle the crisis, based on research, monitoring and education, which includes options for recycling the algae.
Although the regional government will have to negotiate with the environment ministry to use the algae as biomass, Vergara warns that even if an agreement is reached, this measure can only be part of the solution. "It is an interesting idea, but I doubt it can eradicate or even significantly decrease the intensity of the invasion when hundreds of thousands of tonnes can reach a single beach," he concludes.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Euronews
2 days ago
- Euronews
Asian algae infesting southern Spanish beaches
Since May 2025, local authorities in Cádiz have removed 1,200 tonnes of this algae from La Caleta, the city's most popular beach, including a maximum of 78 tonnes in a single day. "We are completely overwhelmed. This is an environmental catastrophe," declared José Carlos Teruel, head of beaches for the Cadiz city council, who added that every time a westerly wind blows, they know they are in for another wave of seaweed. The species, 'Rugulopteryx okamurae', which is believed to have arrived in the ballast tanks of ships passing through the Suez Canal and unloading in the Mediterranean, has colonised the Strait of Gibraltar, much of the southern Spanish coast, the Canary Islands, the Azores and, further north, the Cantabrian Sea and the Basque Country in little more than a decade. It was first detected ten years ago in Ceuta by a researcher from the University of Malaga. Devastating economic and ecological impact The algae is having a significant negative impact on multiple sectors of the local economy. Tourism in Cadiz and Tarifa, a popular destination for windsurfers, is affected by the massive presence of this algae on the beaches, which also produces a very unpleasant smell. Fishing activity also suffers the consequences, as the algae trap the fishermen's nets and lines, as well as depleting the oxygen in the seawater. The most worrying impact is on biodiversity. At La Caleta beach, the algae has displaced many native plants, and it is not yet clear whether this damage is temporary or irreversible. 'Rugulopteryx okamurae' attaches itself to rocks and other surfaces, eliminating native algal species. Its lack of natural predators in the region, combined with its ability to reproduce both sexually and asexually and to absorb toxins, makes it virtually impossible to eradicate, according to experts. Juan José Vergara, professor of biology at the University of Cadiz, explains that in the first phase of such an invasion it can be controlled, "it's like detecting a cancer in time before it spreads". However, the current scale makes control impossible, and what reaches the beaches is only a fraction of what exists underwater. From problem to energy resource Currently, seaweed is dumped in landfills, which is an additional cost to taxpayers. A local company that recycles seaweed to make beverage containers or use it as fuel and fertiliser has applied for permission to use 'Rugulopteryx okamurae' as biomass for energy production. However, Spanish legislation on invasive species prohibits their commercial exploitation unless they pose a threat to health and safety or to facilitate their eradication, conditions that would appear to apply in this case. This week, the Andalusian regional government launched a four-party plan to tackle the crisis, based on research, monitoring and education, which includes options for recycling the algae. Although the regional government will have to negotiate with the environment ministry to use the algae as biomass, Vergara warns that even if an agreement is reached, this measure can only be part of the solution. "It is an interesting idea, but I doubt it can eradicate or even significantly decrease the intensity of the invasion when hundreds of thousands of tonnes can reach a single beach," he concludes.
Euronews
7 days ago
- Euronews
Smartphones lead to ‘suicidal thoughts' in children under 13, study
Children shouldn't have access to smartphones until the age of 13, according to a new global study. Those who used smartphones before they turned 13 were more likely to have suicidal thoughts, bad emotional regulation, lower self-worth, aggression, and detachment from reality, according to the study published in the Journal of the Human Development and Capabilities. Girls were more impacted by smartphone use than boys, with 9.5 per cent of female respondents considered 'struggling' with their mental health compared to 7 per cent of males, irrespective of their country of origin, the research added. Kids under 13 were more likely to experience sleep disruptions, cyberbullying and negative family relationships, the study found. Restrict smartphones like alcohol, researchers say The study drew data from the self-reported mental health profiles of 100,000 young people between the ages of 18-24. The study was conducted by a team from the research non-profit Sapien Labs. The researchers generated an overall "mind health" score for each profile based on 47 social, emotional, cognitive, and physical functions. The mind health scores got worse the longer a child had access to a smartphone, the research continued. For example, the score of a child who received a phone at 13 dropped from 30 to just one for those who received a phone at five years old. The results were worse for the 18-20 year-olds than the 21-24 cohort in the responses, which could be due to prolonged screen exposure during the COVID-19 pandemic, the study said. However, the results of smartphone use in under 13s are consistent despite the geographical and social differences that kids have. Lead author Tara Thiagarajan said she'd like to see smartphones restricted to those under 13 and regulated like alcohol and tobacco by government authorities. The move should be paired with restrictions on social media platforms as well as 'mandating digital literacy education and enforcing corporate accountability'. 'I was initially surprised by how strong the results are,' Thiagarajan said. 'However, when you give it due consideration, it does begin to make sense that the younger developing mind is more compromised by the online environment, given their vulnerability and lack of worldly experience'. What regulations are already in place against cellphones? Most of the bans so far against cellphones are happening in Europe's schools, with partial bans in French, Dutch, British, Italian, Hungarian, Spanish, Irish, Swedish, Belgian, Greek, Latvian, Luxembourgish and Finnish classrooms. Some of these countries, including France, the Netherlands, Italy, Luxembourg and some Spanish regions, have complete school-wide bans on mobile phones so they cannot be used at any point during the day. Other European countries, such as Denmark, Cyprus, Bulgaria, and Portugal, are also considering further restrictions on cellphones. For social media, France's artificial intelligence (AI) minister also proposed a European-wide ban on the use of social media for those under 15 years old. Several EU laws, such as the Digital Service Act, the Audiovisual Media Services Directive, and the General Data Protection Regulation, include provisions to shield children from harmful content and protect their data. Last month, EU lawmakers voted to criminalise AI-generated child abuse images, online grooming, livestreaming, sextortion and the age of consent.
Euronews
01-07-2025
- Euronews
Record heat in the Mediterranean Sea sparks fears for marine life
Sea surface temperatures in the Mediterranean have reached their highest level ever recorded for June. On 29 June, sea surface temperatures hit 26.01°C, according to data collected by Copernicus and analysed by Météo-France. Overall temperatures are currently 3°C higher than average, with spikes exceeding 4°C in some places around the French and Spanish coasts. The most intense warming was observed in the western Mediterranean basin, including the Balearic Sea and the Tyrrhenian Sea. With the current weather conditions, scientists say temperatures are unlikely to drop anytime soon. The Mediterranean is considered one of the world's most vulnerable 'climate change hotspots', warming much faster than the global average. Without action to curb climate change, experts warn that persistent marine heatwaves - prolonged periods of abnormally high ocean temperatures - could change the region beyond recognition. Marine heatwaves could devastate life in the Mediterranean Sea A persistent and growing marine heatwave is gripping the region, with 'severe' and 'extreme' conditions emerging off southeastern Spain and northern Morocco. Marine scientists warn that the unfolding situation could bring devastating impacts for biodiversity, fisheries, aquaculture, and even weather patterns across southern Europe and North Africa. 'Marine heatwaves of this magnitude in the Mediterranean Sea have had major effects on marine life,' says Dr Kathryn Smith from the Marine Biological Association of the UK. 'In the past, we have seen impacts like mass mortalities of invertebrate species, die-offs of seagrass beds and disease outbreaks in mussel farms. It's likely that we'll see similar impacts from this event.' These events have already driven coral populations down by 90 per cent and pushed the noble fan mussel to the brink of extinction. Warmer waters hold less oxygen, leading to mass fish die-offs such as those seen in Tuscany in 2024. And, as fish dive deeper to escape the heat on the surface, they can't be reached by seabirds, which then die off in their masses, too. The ripple effects of marine heatwaves extend onto land, too. Warm seas fuel extreme weather, as seen during Storm Daniel in 2023 which killed nearly 6,000 people. It was made 50 times more likely and 50 per cent more intense by high sea surface temperatures in the Mediterranean. Floods in Valencia in 2024, which claimed over 200 lives, have also been linked in part to high sea surface temperatures. Marine heatwaves are becoming more intense and lasting longer Marine heatwaves are now ten times more intense than in pre-industrial times and last three times as long. 'Climate change is responsible for the global increase in the frequency, duration and intensity of marine heatwaves,' says Dr Alistair Hobday, research director for the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation's (CSIRO) Sustainable Marine Futures Programme. The Mediterranean Sea has been steadily warming since the 1980s, with a sharp acceleration over the past decade. Over the last 40 years, it has gone from experiencing one marine heatwave per year in defined areas to an average of four per year, which cover almost the entire sea. Temperatures have been constantly above average for the past five years. 'The unfolding, wide-reaching heatwave in the western Mediterranean now demands close attention,' says Dr Karina von Schuckmann, a senior advisor at Mercator Ocean International. Scientists stress that only rapid global emission cuts can halt this trend. Without urgent action, this climate hotspot could be permanently transformed.
