Overview

• Cleanup crews have extracted nearly 2,000 tonnes of Rugulopteryx okamurae from Noja’s beaches since last Thursday.
• Ongoing tidal flows keep depositing new mats of the invasive Asian alga onto Playa de Trengandín and other shores.
• Noja Town Hall and Cantabria’s regional government have formally requested that Madrid assume responsibility for the response and provide additional resources.
• Experts warn that uncontrolled spread along the Cantabrian Sea corridor could place Noja in a future expansion zone for the alga.
• The influx threatens peak-season tourism and local businesses that depend on clear, inviting beaches.