Pacific algae invade Algerian beaches, pushing humans and fish away

Volunteers remove piles of washed-up seaweed of the invasive Rugulopteryx okamurae algae, originating from east Asia, from Al-Marsa beach in Algiers on 30 July 2025. © AFP

Algiers (AFP) – At a beach near Algiers, brown algae native to the Pacific Ocean cover the golden sand, posing a threat to ecosystems native to the area and their stench repelling swimmers at the peak of summer.

Following a recent government call to help clear beaches swarmed by the seaweed species known scientifically as Rugulopteryx okamurae, several volunteers and charities have stepped in.