With the coordination of IHCantabria, ThinkInAzul promotes a pilot project on the Asian seaweed
Accumulation of invasive algae in Tarifa / Photo: Courtesy of Maria Altamirano / University of Malaga
El proyecto piloto ha planteado seis retos tecnológicos, vinculados al alga asiática invasora Rugulopteryx okamurae, y cuenta con la participación de 66 investigadores de 38 instituciones de 11 Comunidades Autónomas
This pilot project is focused on the analysis of the presence and expansion of the Asian seaweed Rugulopteryx okamurae and arises within the framework of the Complementary R&D&I Plan in Marine Sciences, called ThinkInAzul, promoted by the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities, and co-financed by the Autonomous Communities. Initiated in 2022, ThinkInAzul is a joint research and innovation strategy, aimed at the protection of marine ecosystems against climate change and pollution, to address the challenges of aquaculture, fisheries, and tourism.
The project arises from the proposal of the Ministry to create networks of public-private actors, and to promote collaborative R&D&I projects, with a clear orientation towards technology transfer and maintaining the same co-financing model between the Ministry and the Communities. Based on the results of ThinkInAzul, the project acts as a laboratory of ideas in Marine Sciences, guaranteeing its continuity and its cooperation model.
In this sense, the pilot project is promoted and developed from the national coordination group of Action Line 3 of ThinkInAzul (Blue Economy: Innovation and Opportunities). It is led by the University of Murcia and coordinated by the Environmental Hydraulics Institute of the Universidad de Cantabria (IHCantabria), together with researchers from each of the Communities of Andalusia, Cantabria, Galicia, Canary Islands, Balearic Islands, Region of Murcia, Valencia (Communities that belong to ThinkInAzul); as well as Asturias, Catalonia, Basque Country, and Madrid.
Since the launch of this pilot project in April 2025, the researchers involved have proposed six technological challenges related to different topics: Remote sensing for monitoring and evolution (Cantabria and Andalusia); detection, monitoring, and early warning in tourist areas (Balearic Islands); use of environmental DNA (eDNA) for early detection (Asturias); use of underwater vehicles (ROVs, AUVs) for detection, monitoring, and tracking (Region of Murcia); sea bass nutrition, additive based on Rugulopteryx (Andalusia); and applied proteomics for the valorization, monitoring, and control of Rugulopteryx (Andalusia).
To share information and facilitate communication among researchers, a working group on ThinkInAzul has been created on the digital platform REECEA (acronym for Spanish Network of Knowledge Spaces for the Blue Economy). The platform is a space promoted by IHCantabria, based on the results of the PLATICAS project, and currently managed by the General Secretariat for Fisheries. This platform facilitates interaction and collaboration among researchers, public administrations, companies, and citizens’ associations, creating a digital environment of cooperation.
In the words of Jesús Argente, researcher at the University of Murcia, member of the project’s coordination team, and facilitator of the national working group of AL3 of ThinkInAzul, this initiative demonstrates the advantages of collaboration between research centers and between public entities. For Francisco Royano, Director of Technology Transfer of IHCantabria, the project addresses a problem of common interest, of enormous impact, and through a model of action that can be replicated to other fields or challenges.
For the coming months, the consolidation of the thematic working groups and the validation of proof-of-concept tests are expected; as well as the incorporation of new actors, from public entities, companies, and associations linked to the invasive seaweed.
Background of a national initiative, around the Asian seaweed
The presence of Rugulopteryx okamurae in Spain dates back to 2015, when it was detected in the Strait of Gibraltar. Since then, the species has colonized wide areas of the southern peninsular coast, the Canary Islands, and certain areas of the Atlantic and Mediterranean, with both ecological and socio-economic repercussions. The alteration of coastal habitats, the reduction of biodiversity, the effects on artisanal fisheries, and the accumulation of deposits on beaches with high tourist interest are some of the most significant impacts documented to date.
