Brit hols hotspot beaches in Marbella facing emergency as they are SWAMPED by 2,500 tons of rotting stinking seaweed
TOP Brit holiday spots are battling an invasion of stinking seaweed that is swamping their beaches and threatening income.
Shorelines along the Costa del Sol face an "environmental emergency" as officials
race
to clear the
4
A thick layer of stinking seaweed builds up on Marbella's beach every day and must be cleared
Credit: Marbella Council
4
The smelly sludge ruins the usually-pristine beaches of the holiday hotspot
Credit: Getty
Officials clear the beaches each day with heavy machinery, only for another thick layer to wash up.
As the
The local council is furious, fuming that the situation is totally unacceptable.
read more in world news
It said this year's Easter haul is more than the amount collected in the whole of 2024.
Local councillor Diego Lopez said: "This figure that should set off all the alarms. What we are experiencing this year is unprecedented. It's an environmental emergency.
"We cannot allow our
The worst of the mess washed up on beaches such as San
Pedro
Alcántara, Nueva Andalucía, Fontanilla, Venus, El Cable and Cabopino.
Most read in The Sun
But
Lopez insisted: "This situation affects the entire Andalusian coast and requires a coordinated response."
Inside the Hard Rock Hotel Marbella
The
It accumulates in huge, ugly piles on the shoreline and stops holidaymakers from enjoying the sand.
Tourists have described it as "disgusting and smelly", often being forced to jump over piles of the stuff to reach the sea.
Marbella council says it cannot battle the problem alone, and is calling for reinforcement from the Spanish government.
Lopez slammed the "absolute lack of support from the central government [...] in the face of an environmental emergency that overflows municipal resources".
The invasion is so bad that Marbella has introduced a daily cleaning programme.
4
Local councillors fear the algae invasion will threaten Marbella's tourism industry
Credit: Getty
4
Authorities removed more algae from Marbella's beaches in the Easter period than the whole of 2024
Credit: Getty
Around 20 tractors armed with large bucket scrapers zigzag the beaches from 3am to 10am, when they must leave for safety reasons.
Lopez said: "The work is organised at dawn to minimise the inconvenience to users."
He also commended the army of cleaners, who he said are all "giving 200 percent to face this situation".
Once removed, the algae is laid out to dry so it is less heavy and easier to transport.
The leftover mess is then transferred to the Costa del Sol Environmental Complex in Malaga.
The council pays a fee of €43 per ton for its treatment as vegetable waste, which "makes management even more expensive".
Lopez said the huge effort the council expends to keep the beaches clean proves its commitment to "environmental quality and to the tourist image of the municipality".
What is Rugulopteryx okamurae?
RUGULOPTERYX Okamurae is a type of brown algae that originates from the Pacific Ocean.
Previously, it only existed in northwest Pacific waters, but it has now spread to the Mediterranean and Northeast Atlantic, where it is an invasive species.
The plant bobs just beneath the surface of the sea, usually between 0.5 and 5 metres underwater.
In very clear water where sunlight can penetrate further, it may be found up to 15 metres below the surface.
The algae grows on hard surfaces, such as rocks in shallow waters, but then detaches and floats off.
A single plant can spawn hundreds more, leading to huge buildups of the plant matter.
In the waters the algae has invaded, it can cause major problems for biodiversity by forcing out native species and blocking sunlight for other marine plants.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Irish Sun
an hour ago
- The Irish Sun
Three-hour flight to Brit holiday hotspot turns into nightmare 32-HOUR saga as ‘passengers left vomiting & no food'
A THREE-HOUR flight to a Brit holiday hotspot turned into a nightmare 32-hour saga, with passengers left vomiting with no food. The Condor flight DE1234 was embarking on what was supposed to just be a simple flight from Zurich to Heraklion in Crete, Greece - but lasted over a day. Advertisement 4 A three-hour flight to a Brit holiday hotspot turned into a nightmare Credit: Splash 4 The Condor flight DE1234 was embarking on what was supposed to just be a simple flight from Zurich to Heraklion in Crete, Greece (stock image) Credit: AFP or licensors 4 Trouble started when the plane's landing was hampered by powerful winds Credit: AFP Despite taking off half an hour late, the flight seemed to be on course to reach its destination. And after two hours, the plane began its initial descent to the holiday hotspot Greek isle. But trouble began when the plane's landing was hindered by powerful winds, forcing it to spend hours circling round before the pilot decided to divert to Athens and refuel. The plane landed at the Greek capital at 11:24am - a whopping three hours after it originally departed Zurich. Advertisement read more news Around two-and-a-half hours later, the crew made another attempt to get the 137 people onboard to Heraklion - but this wasn't achieved, again. During the flight, many passengers were reportedly vomiting due to the terrifyingly powerful winds. And to add fuel to the fire, flyers were only given a glass of water during the whole flight. With weather conditions remaining severe, the plane circled around again before getting diverted to Kos to refuel. Advertisement Most read in The US Sun Exclusive On the nearby Greek island, they landed at 3:28pm after a tiring, hour-and-a-half long flight. And with the aircraft again running low on fuel, another divert was made to Thessaloniki, the second largest city in Greece. Dramatic moment boozed up passenger is hauled off busy plane after VOMITING on another flier Here it was finally decided that passengers and flight attendants should spend the night. The plane touched down at 6:04pm - an unbelievable 11 hours after initially leaving Zurich. Advertisement Passengers were reportedly forced to pay for their own hotel rooms but are entitled to reimbursement under European aviation guidelines. After a nights sleep , the next day at 9am, one last attempt was made to get to Crete - but wind continued to hinder their journey. Another diversion was made to Athens where it was agreed to give up and fly back to Zurich - 32 hours after their initial departure. Condor reps said: 'Due to extreme weather conditions and strong winds, takeoffs and landings at Heraklion Airport were only possible to a limited extent.' Advertisement 4 Another diversion was made to Athens where it was agreed to give up and fly back to Zurich - 32 hours after their initial departure Credit: Splash
The Irish Sun
3 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
Maura Higgins' new reality TV gig REVEALED after she was replaced on Love Island USA
LOVE Island star Maura Higgins toasts the news she has a spot on The Traitors USA with a cuppa as she basks on a Grecian holiday. The Sun can reveal the Irish model, 34, will join the A-list cast as her stock blooms Stateside. 3 Love Island star Maura Higgins toasts the news she has a spot on The Traitors USA with a cuppa as she enjoys a break on a Greek Island 3 Maura had been relaxing on a break on Mykonos Credit: Instagram 3 Talking about Maura's new US-based role, a pal said: 'The future is bright — and has stars and stripes' Credit: Getty A source said: 'Maura is becoming a huge star across the pond and her slot on The Traitors is just part of that. 'The future is bright — and has stars and stripes.' Rumours swirled she had joined the US version of the TV mystery game — which always has a celeb cast — when she stepped aside from But in an announcement video this week, she told READ MORE TV NEWS Maura has just become a She was joined by fellow Love Islander mini dress. The star was previously said to be 'relieved' to have been offered work from L'Oreal, who have offered her six-figures having been impressed with her shoot for MAC cosmetics. The Traitors USA role should put an even bigger smile on the Irish model's face. Most read in Love Island Maura Higgins reveals Love Island USA return - just hours after being 'replaced' by new Aftersun host Unlock even more award-winning articles as The Sun launches brand new membership programme - Sun Club.
The Irish Sun
6 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
I swapped stressful Dublin commute for €129k first home in Spain at 28 – now I make it easy for more Irish to do same
DO you imagine yourself leaving the Dublin Bus commute behind to soak up the sun after work sipping a cheap glass of wine in your local Spanish square? That's exactly what Jessica Baker-Daza did when she swapped Wicklow for Malaga, buying two houses in less than nine years in the Spanish sunspot. 4 Jessica took the plunge and moved to Spain in 2016 4 Jessica relocated for a better work-life balance 4 Jessica bought a property right by the beach for €129k when she first moved Credit: Getty Jessica was first drawn to Spain when she jetted over to teach kids English. Returning to UCD to finish her degree, she decided to make the move to Spain for a brand new life in 2016. And it's a case of work imitating life, as the Spain expert now runs her own company - It was getting on the property ladder and the prospect of better work-life balance that drew her to Malaga and she bought her first Spanish abode at the age of just 28 in a small Malaga suburb. Five years later, she bought a country finca - a rural property on a larger plot of land. Jessica told the Irish Sun: "The "I sold that five years later for €280,000. "I bought a house inland, 30 minutes from Malaga city, along the train line. "I bought a But while the benefits of relocating to Spain go beyond warm weather, property prices haven't stayed so low. The 37-year-old said: "I have been looking at prices now in the area. There's no prices like that. Prices are just going up and up and up. "But obviously the weather is pleasant all year round. If you're moving with children, it's a very child-friendly place to live. "You can eat out cheaper than you can at home. There's lots of benefits but it does depend on what you're looking for." For Jessica, a major plus of her new Spain life was ditching the Dublin commute. She said: "I lived in Greystones and I had to commute to Ballsbridge for work. "The transport in Dublin is notoriously not brilliant. Nothing is connected. "Here transport is better connected in general, throughout Spain." Another bonus for the Greystones native is living in a city while still being "close to the sea". Jessica said: "I feel like I was very privileged in where I was able to buy my first house and I feel privileged to have the one I have now as well. 'Life is a little bit slower. You don't have to constantly be planning ahead." Jessica warned people who are considering relocating that life won't be a holiday. READY FOR REALITY She explained: "One of the most important things to keep in mind when considering a move to Spain is to be really aware of what life is going to look like day to day when the novelty wears off. "Get a real handle on what the rental market looks like and what will be expected of you as a newly arrived foreigner. "Understand what taxes look like and what you will be liable for even if you have permission to work remotely. "If you want to start a business or work remotely, be really aware of what that entails." While living in the sun is a dream for many, And she told how Malaga's renting scene is now similar to Dublin. She said: "I always say to my clients, when I was making the decision to come to Malaga, the same decision making process would not apply if I was doing it now in 2025 as to when I was doing it in 2016. "When it comes to renting, when it comes to buying property - it's pretty much to Dublin standard "It's purely because when I was moving here in 2016, I wanted to get on the property ladder. "I wanted bilingual job opportunities, I wanted to be near an airport. "Weather fine, but it wasn't a big decider for me at that time in my life. "That has now all changed. At the time [it was] brilliant." AREAS TO PICK FROM The Spain enthusiast suggested that wannabe Spanish home hunters look at "underrated" areas like the northern coast, Murcia, Granada or Cádiz. Jessica said: "At the time of moving, I was able to do what I aimed to do. "That was…buy a property, have a better work-life balance. Not have that terrible daily to-and-fro commute. "There were a lot of things that were positive about the move and are still positive. "But would I have the exact same experience now if I did it in 2025… possibly not in this part of Spain. "If I was doing it again [now], I'd choose somewhere different." JESSICA'S TOP TIPS FOR A MOVE TO SPAIN 1. Spain is vast, with different opportunities for different circumstances. Don't hone in on a 'dream' and cast aside the real life factors that will make or break your move. 2. It's not a holiday. Get real about what you can afford long term and understand what your outlays will be at the beginning. 3. Get to know SPAIN. Culture, language, gastronomy, climates. Travel and understand this country. Don't just treat it as a gateway to Europe. put the cart before the horse. If you don't have a visa, you don't need to be contacting rentals. Make an action plan of most important tasks and follow it. 5. Moving to Spain is unlikely to be instant joy and instant quality of life. Your life and how well you adjust is going to depend on your effort and is your responsibility. She said: "I speak to people very often who are moving from Ireland and they were bowled over because a landlord has asked for six months rent upfront and they weren't expecting it. "You have to understand how the rental market works, how it moves and what you are capable of financially. "Understand the tax system. A lot of the time people say 'I'm going to move to Spain and I will save money'. You don't necessarily because taxes here are higher. "You have to be ready for certain things to be harder, that make up for the good." Jessica said expats can get fixated on popular spots like Costa Del Sol but Spain offers so much more to explore. She said: "Remember that Spain is huge, full of different cultures, languages, and gastronomy, a move to Spain doesn't have to be synonymous with a move to the Costa del Sol. "There is so much more to Spain than the holiday-heavy coasts, and if you find that where you initially touch down doesn't suit you, you can move within Spain, often with a better idea of where will suit you. "Travel as much as you can, stay curious about the cultures within the country." 4 The Wicklow native helps others who are planning to relocate to Spain Credit: COLLECT
