Thousands of tons of invasive seaweed ‘overwhelming’ Spanish beaches | Invasive species
Thousands of aggressive invaders from Southeast Asia says that there is a major threat to the Biological diversity of the region on the southern coast of the Gibraltar Strait and the southern coast of Spain, where local environmentalists say.
Since May, the local authority in Cádiz has removed 1,200 tons of algae Lugulopteryx okamurae La Caletta, the most popular beach of the city, including 78 tons, including 78 tons in a single day.
“We are completely overwhelmed. This is an environmental disaster,” José Carlos Teruel, responsible for Cádiz City Council beaches, said. “We know that we are for the West West, for another sea of seaweed.”
As in many other invasive sea species, the algae are thought to come to the ballast tanks of the ships passing through the Suez Canal and then emptying their tanks in the Mediterranean.
In a period of more than a decade, the species colonized the Gibraltar Strait of the southern coast of Spain, the Canary Islands, Azores and the Cantabian Sea in the north and the Basque Country.
“First 10 years ago, the North African settlement region of Spain was seen by a researcher from the University of Málaga, but the authorities were too slow to react,” he said.
Vergara can be controlled in the first stage of an invasion like this. Like capturing cancer before spreading, Ver Vergara said, adding that what was destroyed is a part of the water underwater.
“But now it makes it impossible to control the scale. In other seaweed invasions, we have seen that things have returned to normal after 10-15 years, but many scientists say that they have not seen an invasion on this scale.”
Seaweed has a major impact because it trapped the nets and lines of a town and fishermen who are popular with windsurfing, first Cádiz and nearby recipe, and also absorbs oxygen from the water. Then there is a cost of disposal of the taxpayer.
Perhaps the effect on biological diversity, which is the most concern. On the beach in La Caleta, many domestic plants drove seaweed. It is unclear whether the damage is temporary or irreversible.
Alga attaches itself to the rocks and other surfaces, and at the same time floating, deleting natural seaweed species. Experts say it makes it almost impossible for the disappearance of the predator and the ability to reproduce both sexual and asexual.
Currently, seaweed is thrown into regular storage areas. Vergara said that a local enterprise that recycles the seaweed to beverage containers or uses it as fuel and fertilizer is looking for permission to use. Rulopteryx okamuraeas as a biomass for producing energy.
However, Spain’s law on invading species prohibits the exploitation of commercial exploitation, unless they do not pose a threat to health and safety, even further, a warning that appears to be valid. Rulopteryx okamuraeas.
This week, the government in Endusía launched a four -part plan to confront the crisis, which is based on research, monitoring and educational and recycling with seaweed.
In order to use it as a biomass, the regional government will have to negotiate with the Spanish Ministry of Environment, but even if an agreement is reached, it could only be part of the solution.
“This is an interesting idea, but hundreds of thousands of tons of washing on a single beach can eliminate the intensity of the occupation and even reduce significantly,” he said.
