Portimão City Hall will promote, next Monday, May 4th, the conference “Alga-Fix – Control of algae invasion Rugulopteryx okamurae”, which will take place from 9:30 am in the auditorium of the Portimão Museum, bringing together Portuguese and Spanish experts to discuss the impact of this invasive species on the Iberian Peninsula.
The initiative is open to the public and aims to deepen knowledge about this Asian alga, whose proliferation has aroused growing concern among the scientific community and public entities.
The meeting will bring together researchers, academics, as well as representatives of public and private entities, with the aim of promoting reflection on the phenomenon of bioinvasion and its consequences on marine ecosystems.
Project bets on the blue economy
Given the scale of the problem, the Municipalities of Portimão and Lagoa presented a joint application to the Algarve 2030 Program, within the scope of the Innovation and Competitiveness Networks, for the development of the “Anchor Cities for the Blue Economy” project.
The initiative aims to respond to the environmental and socioeconomic impacts caused by Rugulopteryx okamuraea species from the seas of Korea and Japan, which has affected the coast of the Algarve and Andalusia.
The presence of this invasive algae has significant consequences for marine ecosystems and strategic sectors such as fishing and tourism, being considered a growing threat to the sustainability of coastal areas.
In this context, the conference aims to contribute to the sharing of scientific knowledge and the identification of solutions that can mitigate the negative effects of its expansion, particularly in bathing areas.
Control and mitigation strategies
The rapid spread of the species along the Portuguese coast, including in the autonomous regions of the Azores and Madeira, led to the definition of a national strategy for its management, monitoring and control, coordinated by the Portuguese Environment Agency.
Although the eradication of Rugulopteryx okamurae is considered practically impossible, experts point to the importance of controlling its dispersion, in order to reduce the associated impacts.
The conference is part of a set of actions within the scope of a candidacy that involves several Portuguese municipalities, including Aveiro, Lagoa, Oeiras, Peniche, Portimão, Setúbal, Sines and Viana do Castelo.
The consortium also includes entities such as CIIMAR – Interdisciplinary Center for Marine and Environmental Research, Forum Oceânico, Sines Tecnopolo and the University of Minho, reinforcing the national and collaborative dimension of the initiative.
Conference program
9:30
– Opening
President CM Portimão
– National Strategy for Management of Invasive Macroalgae Rugulopteryx okamurae
Inês de Sousa Alves (Administrator of the Algarve Hydrographic Region of the Portuguese Environment Agency)
10:00
Panel 1 – Science: knowing to act
Moderator: Pedro Duarte (Science Communicator)
Dynamics and impact of Rugulopteryx okamurae on the Spanish coast
Marta Florido (University of Seville)
Algae on the Beach: what to do?
Rui Santos (CCMAR Algarve University)
11:35
Panel 2 – Municipalities: Experiences and challenges – Round table
Moderator: Pedro Duarte (Science Communicator)
Rugulopteryx okamurae, opportunity or problem
António Vegara (Al-Yazirat Permanent Education Center, Tarifa, Junta de Andalucía)
Cascais Action Plan for the management of Rugulopteryx okamurae
Ana Margarida Ferreira (Municipality of Cascais)
Sharing the experiences of the Municipalities of Portimão and Lagoa
Representatives from the Municipalities of Portimão and Lagoa
12:35
Debate Period
14:30
Panel 3 – Ideas and solutions – Round Table
Moderator: Elisabete Rodrigues (Director of Sul Informação)
From invasion to innovation: the role of monitoring and biotechnology in the response to Rugulopteryx okamurae
Dina Simes (CCMAR Algarve University)
Easy Harvest – Collection, mitigation and recovery of macroalgae blooms
Francisco Machado (Easy Harvest)
ReAlga, recycling the problem into an opportunity
Pedro Melo (Off Kelp – ReAlga)
A systemic view of biodesign and circular economy
Américo Mateus and Susana Leonor (ISMAT – Instituto Superior Manuel Teixeira Gomes
Turning invasion into value: emerging solutions for Rugulopteryx okamurae in the blue bioeconomy
Elisabete da Costa (Bluebio Alliance)
16:30
Panel 4 – ALGA-FIX, the project to control invasion by Rugulopteryx okamurae algae
Moderator: Elisabete Rodrigues (Director of Sul Informação)
Municipality of Portimão, Municipality of Lagoa
Center for Marine Sciences at the University of Algarve
17:00
Conclusions and Closing: President CM Lagoa | President CM Portimão
Also read:
