Tourists have been warned that their favourite beaches in the Majorca could soon turn brown as they’re flooded with “invasive” seaweed.

The Balaeric Islands boasts a number of gorgeous destinations including the popular island of Majorca.

However, its sun soaked coastline is now at risk according to experts who are worried that a species of brown algae will be transported to its beaches.

Rugulopterix okamurae is a type of algae native to the Pacific but invasive in both the Atlantic and Mediterranean, but it’s not stopped there as it’s now edging to the Balearics.

The seaweed takes over the seabed until it completely covers it and – with a high reproduction rate – it is constantly releasing plant remains that rise to the surface and is then moved by the currents to the coast which can cover entire beaches.

The algae was first found in the city of Ceuta, in 2015 and since then it has grown rapidly on the Andalusian coast which is the most affected area of Spain.

Several other locations have been impacted, including Murcia, Valencia and Tarifa, where the town hall have said that it is unable to pay for the removal of the algae from its beaches.

Now, according to a report in the Majorca Daily Bulletin, there are warnings regarding Majorca’s coastline after alga was discovered in the port of Barcelona.

Researcher at the IMEDEA Mediterranean Institute of Advanced Studies, Fiona Tomas, believes that the shipping routes from Barcelona could lead to it arriving to the Balearics.

She said: “We must act in time because we have the knowledge and we can carry out effective preventive management to avoid an invasion or, at least, minimise its impact.”

The researcher emphasised the importance of preventing the seaweed from reaching the islands’. 

Maria Altamirano, professor of botany and plant physiology at the University of Malaga said: “Although it has not yet been detected, the Balearic Islands are a highly favourable area for it to proliferate. The authorities should look at minimising its spread.”

Catalonia have had a monitoring system for invase algae for over 20 years now. However, such controls are not in place in the Balearics.