“This is a natural phenomenon that has become increasingly frequent due to climate change, east (southeast) winds and sea currents and warming seawater, but it does not pose a danger to bathers”, specified a regional source from the APA.

The accumulation of large quantities of algae has been more visible in recent days on some rocky beaches in the municipalities of the western Algarve: such as Albufeira, namely Praia de Olhos d’Água, Lagoa, Portimão and Lagos.

“These are native algae and some are invasive, which end up having no impact on health or the quality of bathing water. They are just uncomfortable for people” who want to stay at the beach, the same source noted.

The phenomenon is monitored by the APA, an entity that analyses the quality of bathing water on a daily basis, and no contamination caused by algae has been detected to date.

When contacted by Lusa, the mayor of Albufeira, José Carlos Rolo, said that the beaches in the municipality have frequently registered the presence of these marine organisms, particularly during periods of wind and strong sea conditions, and the local authority has removed them.

“On beaches with large accumulations of algae, the local authority removes them to avoid the odours that result from the drying of these marine organisms,” he pointed out.

According to José Carlos Rolo, this can be a “thankless task”, as the collection and cleaning of the sand are done in one day “and sometimes, the next day, a new accumulation is found in the surf zone or even on the sand”.

“It is a natural phenomenon that the sea itself takes care of, through the movement of the tides, and in areas that are difficult to access, its decomposition on the sand ends up being a natural process, with no impact on public health”, he highlighted.

According to the APA, brown and red algae, typical of rocky seabeds, are more common in the western Algarve, while green algae are more abundant in the eastern Algarve.