Government approves 2026-2030 national program against the invasive macroalga Rugulopteryx okamurae

Order No. 11629/2026, signed on September 10 by the Minister of Environment and Energy, Maria da Graça Carvalho, approves the National Action Program for the Control of the Invasive Macroalga Rugulopteryx okamurae 2026-2030. The decree was published in the Diário da República, 2nd series, no. 184, on September 22, 2026, and enters into force on the day following its publication. The program establishes the national framework of measures for monitoring, containment, impact mitigation, and biomass recovery of the alga.

The document implements the National Strategy for the Management of the Invasive Macroalga Rugulopteryx okamurae, approved by Ordinance No. 270-A/2025/1 of July 23, and results from the work of an inter-institutional working group coordinated by the Portuguese Environment Agency (APA). The species was included in the list of invasive alien species of Union concern by Implementing Regulation (EU) 2022/1203 of July 13, 2022, and automatically became part of the National List of Invasive Species under Decree-Law No. 92/2019 of July 10.

The program itself recognizes that widespread eradication is practically impossible, given the dispersal and proliferation capacity of the macroalga, and focuses action on two lines: preventing new locations and minimizing impacts where the species is already established. The first records in southern mainland Portugal date back to 2021, along the coastal strip between Loulé and Vila do Bispo; in 2022, occurrence was noted in Alentejo, in 2023 it was confirmed near the port area of Sines, and in 2024 it was detected off the coast of Cascais. In the Azores, the alga spread from one island in 2019 to eight of the nine islands by 2024.

Six objectives and seven lines of action

The National Action Program sets six objectives for the 2026-2030 horizon:

• Monitor and understand the expansion dynamics of the species within the national territory.
• Ensure a rapid, coordinated operational response with low environmental impact.
• Mitigate impacts on biodiversity and socio-economics, with shared responsibility among stakeholders.
• Recover the collected biomass through circular and innovative solutions.
• Strengthen multi-sectoral and inter-regional governance in the management of invasive alien species.
• Promote literacy regarding invasive species and mitigate social and economic impacts through information.

The measures are organized into seven domains: prior preparation, monitoring, surveillance and early warning, operational response, research and innovation, communication and literacy, and best practices. Planned actions include the creation of a Georeferenced National Database with weekly updates, a mobile application for reporting sightings, surveillance stations in ports and marinas, underwater sensors, satellite surveillance and unmanned aerial vehicles, manual and mechanical removal protocols, containment barriers, and the “Clean Beach, Healthy Sea” campaign.

Impacts on fishing, tourism, and municipalities

The program identifies relevant socioeconomic impacts. In the fishing sector, it points to a decrease in catches, damage to fishing gear, and time spent cleaning equipment, with gillnets and trammel nets generating unwanted catches of the macroalgae. In tourism, the accumulation of algae on beaches reduces seaside attractiveness and demand, especially during the summer period and on urban beaches.

Coastal municipalities face increasing costs for biomass removal, resorting to mechanical or manual removal or suction equipment, with no known quantification of total costs. The document admits that the cost of inaction is generally much higher than that of the necessary interventions, and provides for the recording of removed biomass — date, location, quantity, cost, and destination — to ensure traceability.

Governance, deadlines, and funding

Coordination is the responsibility of the APA, in collaboration with the Institute for Nature Conservation and Forests (ICNF). Governance is based on a monitoring commission with representatives from the areas of Environment, Fisheries, Economy and Sea, Defense, and the governments of Madeira and the Azores, as well as strategic, technical-scientific, and biomass valorization coordination subgroups, in addition to operational groups with municipal councils and intermunicipal communities. The program also considers the creation of an Iberian Observatory for Rugulopteryx okamurae, with the sharing of satellite data and harmonization of removal techniques with Spain.

The timeline is for five years and beyond, with reviews every one or two years. Goals include the National Database and applications within one year, the operational removal manual within six months, and semi-annual monitoring reports. Funding may mobilize the State Budget, municipal budgets, the Environmental Fund, the Agency for Research and Innovation (AI2), Portugal 2030, ERDF, LIFE, INTERREG, RRP, EMFAF, and the European Economic Area Financial Mechanism.

The relevance of the decree is direct for those who live from the sea and the coast: fishers, tour operators, local authorities, and bathers now have a single national response framework, with deadlines, indicators, and responsibilities defined until 2030.

Source: Diário da República, 2nd series, no. 184, of September 22, 2026, Environment and Energy (official reference: Order no. 11629/2026).