Written by 
The beach in Tarifa, Spain. Credit: Pexels, David Vives.
The scenic coastal town of Tarifa in southern Spain has been tackling the ongoing environmental emergency caused by the invasive Asian seaweed Rugulopteryx okamurae.
Overrun since 2019, the algae have wreaked havoc on marine ecosystems and strained municipal resources. However, the town has launched an innovative project to turn this environmental menace into a sustainable and money-making opportunity.
Tarifa’s seaweed crisis
Tarifa’s coasts have seen an alarming increase in seaweed, with over 40,000 tonnes of algae accumulated in 2024 alone, quadrupling the previous year’s figures, according to a report by Sotogrande Plus. This invasion has not only disrupted marine biodiversity but also impacted heritage fishing and tourism, two foundations of the local economy.
Municipal efforts to clean up the algae have been costly. The Ministry for Ecological Transition categorises the seaweed as “urban solid waste,” leaving local governments responsible for its removal without providing additional funding. With cleanup costs reaching €5 million annually, Tarifa’s resources are stretched thin.
Turning seaweed into energy and biofertilisers
In collaboration with Poplac Development and Futuralga, Tarifa is piloting a €1 million bioreactor project to convert the seaweed into biogas and biofertilisers. The bioreactor processes 15,000 tonnes of algae annually, creating enough energy to power a quarter of a megawatt and repurposing leftover material into fertilisers for agricultural use. This circular economy model not only reduces methane emissions but also offers an environmentally friendly alternative to landfill disposal.
Similar initiatives have succeeded in Mexico, inspiring hope for Tarifa’s project to set a benchmark for sustainable coastal management.
Local startups are exploring other uses for the algae. Futuralga, a Cadiz-based organisation, is developing biodegradable packaging from seaweed waste, aiming to reduce plastic pollution. This innovative solution has already won multiple awards and is part of a broader push for a circular economy. Other proposals include utilising the algae in cosmetics. Imagine that… seaweed lipstick!
Despite these advances, Tarifa’s municipal leaders stress that the current initiatives alone cannot handle the sheer scale of the seaweed problem. Mayor José Antonio Santos has called on regional and national governments for financial and logistical support.
During the summer of 2024, the Cadiz Provincial Council allocated €140,000 in emergency funds, but this fell short of the resources needed to manage the crisis at length.
If successful, Tarifa’s initiatives could pave the way for other coastal communities in Europe to adopt similar procedures.
View all news in Spain.