Bathers annoyed: Seaweed problem on Mallorca’s dream beach

Palma – It is one of the most beautiful beaches on Mallorca, our favorite holiday island in the Mediterranean. Its pretty name is “Es Comú”, it is a section of Playa de Muro. Malle tourists love it. But at the moment he looks different than usual. Not nice at all. And he smells. A few days ago, bathers even complained about the smell of decay, as the Spanish newspaper “Ultima Hora” reported.

The reason is of course: there is sea grass washed up for miles Strand and rots. This makes access to the water more difficult, reports “Ultima Hora”. Visitors took photos of the unsightly remains of the sea, which the newspaper published.

It is the so-called Neptune grass. The problem: The rotting plants cannot be easily removed. The beach is located in the Albufera Natural Park, where certain protective regulations apply. The reason: The seagrass protects the coast from erosion.

This is what bathers say about the seaweed remains

BILD reporter Aresou Leisdorff took a look at the scene for herself on Sunday afternoon. There were still drying seaweed plants on the beach. However, there was no longer any strong smell.

There were also a few bathers in the water. The plants didn’t bother them, they said. “It doesn’t smell, it’s not a problem at all,” says lifeguard Soledad Hernandez (31). “When you bathe, a few algae stick to your body. But there are showers here.”

According to regulations, the municipality is only allowed to remove seaweed residues if there is a health and safety risk and only after prior approval from the responsible ministry of agriculture. In Es Comú, removal is not permitted on the pristine, dune-lined beach for aesthetic or tourist reasons, it is said. But that’s exactly where the surf often washes up large amounts of seaweed, as is happening right now. This is how they will be vacationers have to live with the seaweed for a while longer. Until the remains have decomposed and the beach is clear again.

Seagrass protected in Mallorca

Neptune grass (lat. Posidonia oceanica) is a marine plant that is mainly found in the Mediterranean region, for example in France, Italy, Croatia, Greece, Spain, Turkey and Tunisia. In the Balearic Islands in particular there are several zones in which seagrass is protected. Sailors and water sports enthusiasts are asked to be particularly considerate there. The grass often grows in bright, sheltered bays at depths of 1 to 40 meters and provides habitat and a food source for fish, crabs and other animals. The plant produces oxygen and filters the water.