Lagoa trials underwater vacuum removal of invasive algae at Carvoeiro

The municipality of Lagoa will run a pilot action at Praia do Carvoeiro from 28 September to 2 October, testing vacuum suction to remove the invasive alga Rugulopteryx okamurae directly from the water column, as an alternative to mechanical collection on the beach. The trial follows a national decree published on 22 September approving a 2026-2030 action programme covering monitoring, containment and use of the collected biomass. Lagoa has struggled with the alga since 2022, when a storm deposited 440 cubic metres of it on Carvoeiro beach. The council wants to keep working with government, other municipalities, academia and businesses on the issue.