The high concentration of algae found on several beaches in the Algarve “is a normal and recurring situation” and does not affect the quality of bathing water, a source from the Portuguese Environment Agency (APA) told Lusa on Tuesday.
“This is a natural phenomenon that It has become increasingly common due to climate change.the increase in winds (southeast) and sea currents and the warming of sea water, but it does not pose any danger to bathers,” said a regional source from the APA.
The accumulation of large amounts of algae has been more visible in recent days on some rocky beaches in the municipalities of the western Algarve (west): such as Albufeira, specifically Praia de Olhos d’Água, Lagoa, Portimão and Lagos.
“They are native algae and some are invasive, but they do not have any impact on health or the quality of bathing water. It is simply inconvenient for people who want to stay on the beach,” the same source said.
The phenomenon is monitored by APA, an entity that analyses the quality of bathing water on a daily basis, and so far no contamination caused by algae has been detected.
Contacted by Lusa, the mayor of Albufeira, José Carlos Rolo, said that the beaches of the municipality frequently record the presence of these marine organisms, especially during periods of wind and high seas, which led the municipality to eliminate them.
“On beaches with large accumulations of algae, the municipality removes them to avoid the odors that result from the drying of these marine organisms.“, he noted.
According to José Carlos Rolo, this can be a “job without glory”, since the collection and cleaning of the sand is done one day “and, sometimes, the next, there is a new accumulation in the wave zone or even in the sand”.
“It is a natural phenomenon that the sea itself resolves through the movement of the tides.and in hard-to-reach areas, its decomposition in the sand ends up being a natural process, with no impact on public health,” he said.
According to the APA, brown and red algae, typical of rocky bottoms, are more common in the windward (west) area of the Algarve, while green algae are more abundant in the leeward (east) region.
Source: Observadora
