The continuous arrival of seaweed on Las Canteras beach and the San Cristóbal coastline in Gran Canaria over the last few weeks, caused by rough sea conditions with strong waves and winds, has meant the activation of a sustainable management operation by the City of the Sea cleaning service of the Las Palmas Council.
Since 3rd March, workers have removed approximately 90,000 kilograms of seagrass to prevent the accumulation from posing a hazard to beachgoers and to mitigate any negative impact on residents, businesses, and visitors in these coastal areas of Las Palmas.
The cleaning and maintenance service for the beaches and coastline, managed by FCC, will continue clearing the affected areas over the next few days. This work requires both manual labour, using rakes, and mechanical equipment.
Pedro Quevedo, Councillor for the City of the Sea, explained that "seaweed plays an important role in maintaining the ecosystem, so scientific recommendations suggest removing it in a reasonable manner. Seagrass is not waste and should not be entirely eliminated."
This natural phenomenon, which currently gives parts of Las Canteras a brownish hue, occurs several times a year due to ocean currents and northern storms.
Quevedo also highlighted the City of the Sea’s involvement in several projects assessing the feasibility of using washed-up seaweed as a raw material for biotechnological and industrial applications. Among these are the European projects Natur-Ext and Revalgae, led by the Canary Islands Institute of Technology (ITC), which explore the development of sustainable ocean-derived materials.
The councillor explained that the aim is to efficiently and environmentally manage seaweed accumulations to maintain the beach’s ecological balance without compromising its enjoyment by the public.
The arrival of seaweed on the coastline is typically linked to coastal storms. In 2022, invasive species were detected for the first time, specifically the ‘Asian seaweed’ Rugulopteryx Okamura, in the southern part of the city.
In 2024, the City of the Sea cleaning service removed over 500 tonnes of seagrass from Las Canteras and San Cristóbal. One of the key solutions being explored is refining the collection process to minimise the impact on the marine environment while ensuring that sand mixed with the seaweed is returned to the beach.
