Algal bloom 'disaster' prompts royal commission call as impact spreads to mussel farms

Australia Broadcast Center

a day ago

A royal commission is needed to tackle the long-term effects of the devastating algal bloom off South Australia's coast that has killed countless sea creatures and is damaging industries, the state's opposition says.
The call comes as the impact of the bloom continues to spread, with mussel farming sites around Port Lincoln shut down after shellfish toxins were detected in the area.
The "precautionary closure", which came into effect on Wednesday, has suspended mussel harvesting at the Boston Bay, Bickers Island, Lower Eyre and Proper Bay sites, according to the Department of Primary Industries and Regions (PIRSA).
The opposition said a royal commission would allow thorough examination of the causes and consequences of the Karenia mikimotoi bloom — as well as the responses so far, potential health impacts, and steps to prevent a repeat of the current crisis.
"What we're calling for is for a royal commission to investigate in an independent way what exactly has caused this algal bloom, and what could we better do to make sure that it is managed and to ensure it doesn't happen again."
Mr Tarzia said the estimated cost of "a few million dollars" was a "small price to pay".
Attorney-General Kyam Maher poured scorn on the proposal, suggesting it was a waste of money to investigate what was "almost universally accepted by scientists to be caused by climate change".
"We've already announced half a million dollars in fee relief for the fishing industry and we've said we're looking at doing more," he said.
Last week, the government announced what it described as an "initial investment" of $500,000 to support the state's commercial fishing sector.
Commercial fisher Andrew Pisani, from Stansbury on Yorke Peninsula, said what had been announced so far was "just not going to be enough".
"Stansbury is ground zero. We're 70 days in now — 70 days — and we need some help, help now," he said.
"We're not making any income there at all.
Opposition primary industries spokesperson Nicola Centofanti called on the government to waive fishing licence fees "from July onwards".
"We've got commercial fishermen, aquaculture businesses, tourism businesses that are literally on their knees," she said.
"[They] need not just short-term support but they need a medium-to-long-term plan.
"This is an ecological and economic disaster."
Port Wakefield fisher Justin Cicolella said the impact at the northern end of Gulf St Vincent had, until now, not been as bad — but there were signs that was changing.
"Ongoing support's probably going to have to be there. We've all got young families and rely on a certain amount of money coming in each week," he said.
Fellow Port Wakefield fisher Bart Butson said he was "not sure" if a royal commission was the answer, but that securing a sustainable fishery was of "foremost" importance.
"I wake up at night thinking, 'How long can we catch some fish for?'" he said.
"It's just beginning to bite now. We've seen the squid in our area disappear … and that makes up 30 per cent of our wage, of our catch."
The push for a royal commission comes after the Greens called for a state-based inquiry and urged the federal government to declare the bloom a national disaster.
The state government said it had already established a working group made up of government agencies including PIRSA to better understand the bloom.
"We're keen to make sure we're having the best scientists look at what's happening and … not going to lawyers for a royal commission," Mr Maher said.
The government last week shut down several Lower Eyre Peninsula mussel farming sites, on a temporary basis, because of shellfish toxins linked to the bloom.
The site closures prevent the sale and movement of bivalve molluscan shellfish from the area.
PIRSA said the closures impacted two producers: Yumbah Mussels Holdings and Deedah Oysters.
The former employs about 75 people, with its parent company saying the closures have caused "uncertainty for our staff, suppliers and our customers".
Both Yumbah Aquaculture and PIRSA said there was no public health risk and mussels already on the market were safe to eat.
The closures come after PIRSA's regular testing of shellfish harvesting sites detected brevetoxins — neurotoxic shellfish poisons that can affect oysters, mussels and scallops, according to SA Health.
If consumed, they can cause symptoms including vomiting, diarrhoea and stomach cramps.
"They have detected brevetoxin which is a neurotoxin that is associated with the Karenia species and therefore they cannot allow the sales of the mussels," Environment Minister Susan Close said.
"This is obviously very serious.
"What's likely is that we've got a dominant Karenia mikimotoi algal bloom but some other varieties of Karenia in there, and we've seen a couple of instances now where that's shown up."
Ms Close said she was "hopeful" that the affected businesses would be "able to survive at least a short period without lay-offs".
Asked how long the shutdown would last, Ms Close said PIRSA would rely on "clear test results" to determine when products could be sold again.
"They will be frequently testing in order to get mussels back on the shelf once they are safe," she said.
Yumbah Aquaculture chief executive David Wood said the harvesting suspension was expected to last "at least four weeks".
He said local brevetoxin levels remained within the relevant safety threshold, but added: "Yumbah takes no risks with food safety."
"While current levels pose no threat to consumers, further assessment is required due to this testing feedback timing, and the suspension is expected to last at least four weeks," he said in a statement.
The shellfish shutdown is the latest in a series of economic disruptions caused by SA's algal bloom.
In May, PIRSA also suspended shellfish harvesting operations around Stansbury and Port Vincent on Yorke Peninsula due to increased brevetoxin levels, forcing the quarantine of up to 10 million oysters.
Mr Wood said the impact on fisheries was "unprecedented".
"This situation brings uncertainty for our staff, suppliers and our customers.
"We're working closely with our teams to understand the implications and provide support, continuing to back each other through this challenging time."