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The Guardian
6 days ago
- General
- The Guardian
‘We're watching it get worse all the time': as fish vanish in SA's algal bloom, livelihoods are also at stake
Nathan Eatts can remember the last day he caught a squid. It was 18 April, a few weeks after a brown foam and dead marine life began appearing on beaches on South Australia's Fleurieu peninsula. 'That's over three months now,' says the third generation squid fisher, whose business, Cape Calamari, is based on the southern Fleurieu peninsula. 'Everyone just sort of says 'go fish for something else', but it's not that simple, because we're under a quota system and 95% of what I fish for is calamari.' Since March, Eatts has seen dead stingrays, fish and a dolphin – and that's just at his local beach in Normanville. It is both emotionally and financially devastating. 'Last time I fished, I caught four whiting,' he says. 'That doesn't pay any bills, it puts eight fillets on my table.' The toxic algal bloom that has killed thousands of marine animals around the state has put fishers like him under pressure in areas including Kangaroo Island and the St Vincent and Spencer gulfs. Squid fishers like Eatts were among the first to feel the impact of the disaster on their business. 'We're trying to be optimistic about squid as it's one thing we haven't seen wash up dead,' Eatts says. 'We're hoping they're in deeper water waiting for this to clear but until this clears we just have to sit back and wait, and we're watching it get worse all the time. It's heartbreaking.' This week, under pressure from community advocates, scientists and South Australian politicians such as Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young, the federal and state governments announced a $28m assistance package for affected communities and parliamentary inquiry into the crisis. However the federal government has stopped short of declaring the crisis a natural disaster, which would trigger more resources, saying it did not meet relevant definitions. The South Australian premier, Peter Malinauskas, warned politicians against getting caught up in technicalities and said it should be described as a natural disaster. Senator Hanson-Young also called on the government to 'declare this the emergency it is'. For fishing businesses that have bills piling up, the pledged assistance package money is welcome help in the short term. However, it is not known when the algal bloom will clear and the industry expects there will be communities in need of more long-term support. 'There is extreme regional impact,' says Kyri Toumazos, executive officer at Seafood Industry South Australia. But some parts of the state have been hit harder than others. Toumazos says wild catch and aquaculture businesses in Kangaroo Island have been affected since 'day dot' of the disaster, as had communities south of Adelaide. In Port Lincoln on the Spencer Gulf, where thousands of people are employed either directly or indirectly by the seafood industry, he says some aquaculture businesses were limiting their harvests due to the algal bloom. Some wild catch businesses in the area were feeling the effects too. 'The biggest concern for us is the longer the algal bloom persists, then the greater the chance of longer term impact for our fisheries,' he says. Sign up to get climate and environment editor Adam Morton's Clear Air column as a free newsletter Work to better understand the economic costs to fishing communities and the effects of the bloom on fishing stocks will take place over coming months, says Toumazos, but it could be up to a year before a detailed picture emerges. He said the state and federal governments had been receptive to the need to undertake this work. The chair of Oysters South Australia, Peter Treloar, said the oyster industry had seen the closure of harvest zones in and around Gulf St Vincent including at Stansbury and Port Vincent and at American River on Kangaroo Island. 'The bulk of our oyster growers are located around the coastline of Eyre peninsula and they remain open for sale,' Treloar says. 'It's worth saying that the algal bloom first appeared in Gulf St Vincent some three months ago now and the oyster growers in and around Gulf St Vincent have been closed for sales for two and a half months.' He said these oyster growers had not been able to sell any product and have had effectively no cashflow for that entire period. RecFish South Australia's executive officer, Asher Dezsery, says recreational fishing tourism has also slowed. Regional areas that rely on income from short term accommodation and bait and tackle sales are suffering. 'People are cancelling their trips and not travelling around South Australia whilst this algal bloom is happening,' Dezsery says. A persistent marine heatwave affects the waters off South Australia, kicked off with sea surface temperatures reaching 2.5C above average. A mysterious sea foam appears at beaches on the Fleurieu Peninsula, with reports of more than 100 surfers becoming ill, and deaths of leafy sea dragons, fish and octopi. Marine biologists from the University of Technology Sydney find high numbers of a tiny harmful algal species called Karenia mikimotoi in water samples collected from affected beaches. Prof Shauna Murray – who identified the algae under the microscope and by analysing its DNA – says while still not well understood, K mikimotoi is thought to produce a reactive oxygen that caused gill cell damage in fish – which means they can not breathe. By this point, more than 200 marine species have been killed by the bloom, which stretches along more than 150 kilometres worth of coastline. A powerful storm and high tides washes the algae into the Coorong, staining the water like strong tea before turning it into a slurry. Water testing confirms the presence of the algae in the Coorong. Abnormally high tides, strong winds and large waves lashes the South Australian coastline, with multiple reports of fish deaths along the Adelaide metropolitan coastline reported in the aftermath. Testing confirms the toxic algae had entered West Lakes. While the algae has been detected at the inlet, it had not yet been detected at three other testing sites. 'What this does is highlight just how important recreational fishing is to regional towns and areas such as Yorke peninsula, southern Fleurieu and the west coast.' Scientists from the Biodiversity Council warned this week that the wildlife impacts of the marine heatwave that has driven the catastrophic algal bloom were likely to be equivalent to those from the black summer bushfires and would need a similar response from governments. They've called for tens of millions in additional funding for immediate environmental measures – including at least $10m to fund urgent research into the impact and possible mitigation of the bloom – and for governments to commit to seven actions to respond to the 'foreseeable and even predicted' event. That includes rapid acceleration of decarbonisation efforts because minimising ocean warming was 'the most important step in preventing harmful algal blooms' along all Australian coastlines. Darcie Carruthers, the South Australia-based nature campaigner for the Australian Conservation Foundation, spent the week travelling the coast talking to people in affected communities. She says family-run businesses like Eatts's squid company relied on nature being healthy and were carrying the weight of the crisis. 'In this part of Australia, healthy nature and successful business are one and the same,' she says. 'Communities and industries, including tourism, hospitality and small fishing businesses, that rely directly on a healthy marine ecosystem to survive are desperate for help and for this algal bloom to end.' Bart Butson, a commercial fisher in Port Wakefield at the head of Gulf St Vincent, says the crisis had taken an emotional toll. 'I'm really sad to see that the Gulf is sick, it's terrible,' he says. 'Emotionally that's been the hardest thing for me, is to go out there and see funny coloured water and some iconic fish species dying and floating on the surface. 'I never realised how much I loved the ecosystem until it had become unwell and then it really hit me.' While so far he has been able to get by, there is great uncertainty for his future. Many fishers he knows have been caught off-guard by the bloom, he says, and are now feeling unsure about the future of their businesses. 'They just don't have any fish, they don't catch fish, they don't go fishing any more.'
Yahoo
07-07-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Fisherman's sad admission highlights growing Aussie problem
An Aussie angler has made a difficult admission: he hasn't caught a single squid since April. Nathan Eatts, a sixth-generation commercial fisherman, is increasingly worried he'll be the last in his family to carry on the trade, because a toxic algal bloom is killing all the fish in waters around Adelaide. 'Fishing is all I've ever done, since I could walk. My dad was a commercial fisherman and he used to take me out as a kid. My grandpa and uncle did the same. It's in our blood,' the 32-year-old told Yahoo News. A perfect storm has killed sharks, rays and other marine life across the Southern Fleurieu Peninsula where he's traditionally fished, and the squid have disappeared. The outbreak is being caused by naturally occurring Karenia mikimotoi algae mixed with higher than average nutrients in the sea, increased ocean temperatures, and calm weather. It had been hoped that cooler weather during winter would break up the bloom, but instead it's continued to spread. The problem is occurring right across the Fleurieu and Yorke Peninsulas, Kangaroo Island, and this week it's been detected on metropolitan beaches and West Lakes in Adelaide's north. Nathan is in a similar situation to farmers during the Millenium Drought which crippled agriculture across large parts of NSW and Queensland last decade. He's just trying to keep busy and carry on the only trade he knows. 'There are some species we can target like whiting, but we'll only get a dozen or so, which is not enough to make a living off,' he said. 'When it's a nice day and it's calm I go fishing. If we do catch a few that's good, and if we don't it's just like every other day. Worst case, I've got just enough for my own dinner.' What Nathan wants now is to be part of the solution. He wants to know if all of the squid have died, or if they've migrated elsewhere. "It's like a massive bushfire but it's under the ocean and we can't see the full scale of it," he said. He's not the only one wanting to help. Fisherman are normally secretive about their catch, but now they're sharing intelligence with each other out of care for the industry. Shark's worrying behaviour near Aussie coastline signals 'never seen' crisis Fisherman shocked by 'unfathomable' scene at Aussie beaches Investigation launched after rarely-seen shark washes up on Aussie beach As the situation continues, there are growing calls for it to be declared a national disaster. Part of the reason is that bills are stacking up, and that's an issue Nathan is experiencing as well. 'We have very high costs in our industry. I personally just got a $13,000 yearly bill from fisheries, but if I can't catch any fish how am I supposed to pay it?' he said. 'It's quite stressful, I've got a mortgage too.' But the bigger issue for him is the environmental toll it's taking on the ocean he loves. 'A healthy marine ecosystem means a healthy, viable business. Sustainability is one of my key values, and it's why my family has been able to fish for six generations,' Nathan said. 'We don't use nets, everything we do is line caught. We're all about promoting longevity.' Prior to the algal bloom, Nathan would catch between 20 and 30kg of squid on an average day. But after a four-day storm over Easter, the oceans died. The last squid he caught was on Good Friday. 'All of a sudden we couldn't catch a single thing. The water was all green. It was clear something was wrong,' he said. Being a smart businessman, Nathan had prepared for a rainy day, and had a freezer full of filleted reserve stocks. But after months without a catch, he's close to running out of supply. 'There's no way of replenishing it. I'm not worried about right now, it's where we're going to be in three or four months time,' he said. 'That's when it's going to hit home for a lot of people. When bad things happen it's always down the track a little bit when the real pain starts.' Love Australia's weird and wonderful environment? 🐊🦘😳 Get our new newsletter showcasing the week's best stories.
Irish Times
05-07-2025
- General
- Irish Times
Crispy calamari with Asian dressing
Serves : 2 Course : Dinner Cooking Time : 5 mins Prep Time : 15 mins Ingredients For the Asian dressing: 1 red chilli, seeds removed 1 small piece of ginger, peeled 1tbs vegetable oil 50ml rice wine vinegar 50ml soy sauce 2tbs fish sauce 1tsp cornflour 1tsp honey 1 lime, juice and zest 2 large squid tubes, cleaned About 80g self-raising flour About 80g rice flour Sea salt and black pepper Vegetable oil Handful fresh coriander leaves, picked Handful fresh mint leaves, picked 1 red chilli, thinly sliced Start by making the dressing. Finely dice the chilli and ginger and add to a small pot with the vegetable oil. Cook over a medium heat for three minutes until softened, stirring regularly, then add the vinegar, soy sauce, fish sauce, cornflour and honey. Stir together and bring to the boil, then remove from the heat. Allow to cool before finishing with some lime juice and zest, then set aside. Slice the cleaned squid tubes into rings about 1-1½cm thick. Add the flour and rice flour to a bowl, season with salt and pepper, and mix together with a spoon. Heat the oil in a wide-based pot (you want about one inch of oil in the pot). Test the oil is hot enough by dropping a bit of flour in; if it sizzles straight away, it's ready. Place the squid rings in the flour blend and dredge well until evenly coated, then place on a plate, ready to fry. Carefully place them in the oil using a tongs and shallow fry for two to three minutes until golden brown and crispy on the outside, then remove the calamari from the pot with a tongs and place in a bowl. Add a few spoons of the Asian dressing to the calamari to evenly coat in the sauce, then place in a serving bowl. Serve alongside a small salad bowl of the picked coriander and mint leaves and garnish with some thinly sliced red chilli.
Yahoo
04-07-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Fisherman's sad admission amid calls to declare natural disaster off Aussie coast
An Aussie angler has made a difficult admission: he hasn't caught a single squid since April. Nathan Eatts, a sixth-generation commercial fisherman, is increasingly worried he'll be the last in his family to carry on the trade, because a toxic algal bloom is killing all the fish in waters around Adelaide. 'Fishing is all I've ever done, since I could walk. My dad was a commercial fisherman and he used to take me out as a kid. My grandpa and uncle did the same. It's in our blood,' the 32-year-old told Yahoo News. A perfect storm has killed sharks, rays and other marine life across the Southern Fleurieu Peninsula where he's traditionally fished, and the squid have disappeared. The outbreak is being caused by naturally occurring Karenia mikimotoi algae mixed with higher than average nutrients in the sea, increased ocean temperatures, and calm weather. It had been hoped that cooler weather during winter would break up the bloom, but instead it's continued to spread. The problem is occurring right across the Fleurieu and Yorke Peninsulas, Kangaroo Island, and this week it's been detected on metropolitan beaches and West Lakes in Adelaide's north. Nathan is in a similar situation to farmers during the Millenium Drought which crippled agriculture across large parts of NSW and Queensland last decade. He's just trying to keep busy and carry on the only trade he knows. 'There are some species we can target like whiting, but we'll only get a dozen or so, which is not enough to make a living off,' he said. 'When it's a nice day and it's calm I go fishing. If we do catch a few that's good, and if we don't it's just like every other day. Worst case, I've got just enough for my own dinner.' What Nathan wants now is to be part of the solution. He wants to know if all of the squid have died, or if they've migrated elsewhere. "It's like a massive bushfire but it's under the ocean and we can't see the full scale of it," he said. He's not the only one wanting to help. Fisherman are normally secretive about their catch, but now they're sharing intelligence with each other out of care for the industry. Shark's worrying behaviour near Aussie coastline signals 'never seen' crisis Fisherman shocked by 'unfathomable' scene at Aussie beaches Investigation launched after rarely-seen shark washes up on Aussie beach As the situation continues, there are growing calls for it to be declared a natural disaster. Part of the reason is that bills are stacking up, and that's an issue Nathan is experiencing as well. 'We have very high costs in our industry. I personally just got a $13,000 yearly bill from fisheries, but if I can't catch any fish how am I supposed to pay it?' he said. 'It's quite stressful, I've got a mortgage too.' But the bigger issue for him is the environmental toll it's taking on the ocean he loves. 'A healthy marine ecosystem means a healthy, viable business. Sustainability is one of my key values, and it's why my family has been able to fish for six generations,' Nathan said. 'We don't use nets, everything we do is line caught. We're all about promoting longevity.' Prior to the algal bloom, Nathan would catch between 20 and 30kg of squid on an average day. But after a four-day storm over Easter, the oceans died. The last squid he caught was on Good Friday. 'All of a sudden we couldn't catch a single thing. The water was all green. It was clear something was wrong,' he said. Being a smart businessman, Nathan had prepared for a rainy day, and had a freezer full of filleted reserve stocks. But after months without a catch, he's close to running out of supply. 'There's no way of replenishing it. I'm not worried about right now, it's where we're going to be in three or four months time,' he said. 'That's when it's going to hit home for a lot of people. When bad things happen it's always down the track a little bit when the real pain starts.' Love Australia's weird and wonderful environment? 🐊🦘😳 Get our new newsletter showcasing the week's best stories.
Sustainability Times
02-07-2025
- Science
- Sustainability Times
'Troops Could Vanish Like Squid': New Bio-Inspired Camo Lets US Soldiers Evade Sight and High-Tech Sensors Instantly
IN A NUTSHELL 🦑 Squid-inspired technology leverages cephalopod biology to create advanced camouflage materials for military applications. leverages cephalopod biology to create advanced camouflage materials for military applications. 🔬 Researchers use holotomography to study the unique light-reflecting cells in squid skin, revealing intricate structures. to study the unique light-reflecting cells in squid skin, revealing intricate structures. 🛡️ The engineered composite material can adapt its appearance across visible and infrared spectrums, ideal for defense and beyond. across visible and infrared spectrums, ideal for defense and beyond. 🌍 This innovation opens up potential applications in smart textiles, thermal-management systems, and various optical technologies. The fusion of biology and technology continues to break new ground, as seen in a remarkable project funded by DARPA and the Air Force. By leveraging the natural abilities of cephalopods, particularly the squid, researchers are developing advanced camouflage technology for military applications. This bio-inspired innovation promises to revolutionize how soldiers hide in plain sight, adapting to various environments by mimicking the squid's adaptive skin. Such breakthroughs not only highlight the potential of bioinspired materials but also reinforce the crucial role of interdisciplinary research in defense and technology. The Science Behind Squid-Inspired Camouflage At the heart of this innovative research is the study of squid skin, particularly the light-reflecting cells known as iridophores. Researchers at the University of California, Irvine, in collaboration with the Marine Biological Laboratory in Woods Hole, Massachusetts, have delved into the unique cellular structures of the longfin inshore squid. These iridophores contain tightly coiled columns of a protein called reflectin. These proteins act like natural Bragg reflectors, enabling the squid to change colors rapidly and efficiently. Through advanced imaging techniques such as holotomography, scientists have captured detailed three-dimensional views of these cells, revealing how the columns of reflectin twist and organize themselves to manipulate light. This ability allows the squid to transition from being transparent to displaying vibrant colors, a mechanism that could be pivotal in developing materials that mimic these changes for military use. Living Skin for Buildings: Smart Facade in Germany Moves Like an Organism to Slash Cooling Needs and Energy Use Engineering Bio-Inspired Materials for Defense Building on the understanding of these biological structures, researchers have engineered a flexible composite material that replicates and even extends the optical capabilities of squid skin. This material combines the nanostructured Bragg reflectors with ultrathin metal films to enhance control over infrared light. Such a composite can adjust its appearance across both visible and infrared spectrums, making it an ideal candidate for adaptive camouflage and other advanced applications. By responding to environmental stimuli, such as changes in light or physical manipulation like stretching and bending, the material can dynamically alter its properties. This adaptability opens doors to a range of applications beyond military use, including smart textiles and thermal-management systems. The scalability of the fabrication techniques used also means that these materials can be produced on a larger scale, potentially transforming industries beyond defense. 'Concrete That Heals Itself': Scientists Create Lichen-Inspired Material That Uses Microbes to Seal Cracks Automatically Potential Beyond Camouflage This breakthrough in biomimicry extends beyond just camouflage. The principles used to develop these materials could enhance a variety of other technologies. The design concepts drawn from cephalopods may improve devices like lasers, fiber-optic filters, photovoltaic coatings, and chemical sensors. The ability to fine-tune optical properties dynamically is a game-changer for these applications, offering new levels of precision and control. As researchers continue to explore the possibilities, the full potential of cephalopod-inspired optics is yet to be realized. The work conducted at UC Irvine and its collaborators exemplifies how nature can inspire cutting-edge technological advancements, pushing the boundaries of what is possible in material science and engineering. 'Silent Death from the Sky': China's Bird-Like Drones Now Strike Targets Without Warning or Detection Anywhere Challenges and Future Directions Despite the promising outcomes, challenges remain in bringing these technologies to practical applications. Issues such as cost, durability, and integration into existing systems must be addressed. Moreover, ethical considerations regarding the use of such technology in defense and surveillance need careful evaluation. Looking forward, researchers aim to refine these bio-inspired materials, optimizing them for real-world applications. The interdisciplinary nature of this research, combining biology, engineering, and material science, underscores the importance of collaboration in solving complex problems. As we continue to draw inspiration from the natural world, the question remains: how will these innovations shape the future of technology and defense? As this research progresses, the implications extend beyond the military, potentially influencing various industries and everyday life. The integration of biological insights into technological advancements poses a thought-provoking question: how far can we push the boundaries of biomimicry, and what ethical considerations will arise as we increasingly blur the lines between nature and technology? Our author used artificial intelligence to enhance this article. Did you like it? 4.5/5 (24)
