Toxic algae bloom continues to kill marine life despite high hopes amid South Australia’s cold weather

Many were anticipating the toxic bloom would take a hit from the cold snap across South Australian this week.

Hopes that winter weather could slow down the toxic algae bloom covering SA’s coast have been dashed as marine life continues to wash up dead on beaches.

Shark Watch SA said on its Facebook page that public field reporters have said there’s been no improvement to the algae bloom situation, despite hopes cooler weather would help purge the toxic sludge.

Dead sea life has been spotted washed up at West Beach on Wednesday, despite hopes cold weather would put a stop to the toxic algae bloom. Picture: Shark Watch SA Facebook

Dead sea life has been spotted washed up at West Beach on Wednesday, despite hopes cold weather would put a stop to the toxic algae bloom. Picture: Shark Watch SA Facebook

Images taken on Wednesday afternoon and posted by Shark Watch SA show dead fish washed up on Adelaide’s busy West Beach.

Anton Covino, Shark Watch SA owner, said the toll on marine life could stretch “into the millions” and lack of improvement was “demoralising”.

“It is deflating and demoralising, because a lot of us were hoping that the winter conditions were going to stir up the bloom and disperse what’s been going on,” Mr Covino said.

“But unfortunately that’s not the case, and over the past few days a lot more public observations have been made, photographs of more marine life washing up have been popping up.”

Higher-than-usual marine temperatures, recorded since last September, have been considered as a contributing factor to the Karenia mikimotoi algae bloom, which was “roughly the size of Kangaroo Island and up to 20m deep”, according to Environment Minister Susan Close.

A report from the Department of Primary Industries (PIRSA) revealed seasonal cooling of waters, expected to continue until mid-August.

Marine creatures including hundreds of fish have died, after severe weather conditions that impacted the southeastern coastline caused an algal species, Karenia mikimotoi to bloom in the Coorong.

A PIRSA spokesperson said the “current expectations are that colder water temperatures will slow the growth of the algae.”

“Typical winter wind periods of moderate to strong west to south-westerly winds, are expected to increase the flushing of coastal waters, in particular around Gulf St Vincent and the Fleurieu Peninsula, with oceanic waters,” the spokesperson said.

“This is also expected to also assist in reducing the presence of the harmful algal bloom.”

Dead sea life from algal blooms at Foul Bay, Yorke Peninsula. Picture: Stefan Andrews courtesy Great Southern Reef Foundation

But Victor Harbor fisherman, Rod Ness, 69, said he’s was unsure if the damage caused by the bloom could be undone.

“The authorities said months ago, when we get the (cooler) weather and rougher conditions, it will clear – and they were probably right,” he said.

“But we haven’t had that up till now … I don’t think has done what it was supposed to do to the extent they thought it might.

“The massive damage is already done. And I don’t know where that’s going to go for the future.”

Mr Ness had to make the difficult decision to stop chartering his fleet boats back in March, after uncertainties rose around the toxicity of the bloom.

“My duty of care says I’m not taking those people out for their safety purposes,” he said.

“If I can’t take them out and catch fish that I know are suitable to be eaten, or I’m not going to jeopardise their health, then I’m not going to charter”.

Not-for-profit, OzFish, had reported more than 200 species had fallen victim to the ‘toxic blanket’ and smothered sea life on the shoreline since February.

A cold, windy front is expected to envelope South Australia for the rest of the week, with renewed promise of dispersing the bloom even further and cooling sea temperatures.

Originally published as Toxic algae bloom continues to kill marine life despite high hopes amid South Australia’s cold weather