Major cleanup operation at Praia da Rocha after invasive algae washes ashore
Heavy machinery has been deployed as part of a major cleanup operation at Portimão’s Praia da Rocha, where large quantities of invasive algae have washed ashore once more.
It’s an issue that has been affecting several beaches in the Algarve in the last few years, with local councils being forced to set aside specific funding to carry out cleanup operations.
Portimão has been the worst affected municipality in recent weeks, with significant layers of algae covering its beaches, particularly Praia da Rocha and Praia do Vau. But while Praia do Vau has almost completely returned to normal, heavy machinery is being used at Praia da Rocha to remove the accumulation of seaweed, as the Resident confirmed this afternoon.
The algae species that has invaded Portimão’s beaches, said to originate from Japan and Korea, is known for its resilience. Once dry, the algae do not produce foul odours or attract flies as they once did, but their rapid reproduction and accumulation remain a pressing issue, Portimão mayor Álvaro Bila told SIC television this week.
“We’ve already spent more than half of our allocated budget of €50,000 on this procedure,” said Bila. “We hope that no further algae will wash ashore by the end of the year.”
The University of Algarve has been monitoring the situation through its “Algae on the Beach” platform, identifying different types of algae accumulations along the Algarve coast.
