Andrew Mezzino weighs up future of The Ramp Bait and Tackle shop in North Haven as algal bloom crisis hits fishing shops
Owning a business was his dream before mother nature unleashed an unprecedented algal bloom on the state – now he is asking, ‘How do I stay open?’
Andrew Mezzino’s small fishing shop at the North Haven boat ramp was never built to survive an algal bloom crisis, and now he faces a tough choice: close down his business, or wait for change?
Set on keeping open The Ramp Bait and Tackle, Mr Mezzino applied for a $10,000 grant for businesses hit by the algal bloom, available to small businesses with a 30 per cent decline in turnover.
He said he narrowly missed out – getting rejected while given a two-month extension to submit again when circumstances got worse – because he could only demonstrate a loss of 26.5 per cent revenue since the same time last year.
On Thursday, Mr Mezzino shared the dilemma with his shop’s Facebook followers, posting: “Despite not receiving any government grants or support, I’ve managed to keep going, but I’m struggling to decide to reopen.”
“I desperately want to avoid closing for November. If I do, I fear I might as well sell the shop, pay my debts and close down my dream,” the post said.
Mr Mezzino told The Advertiser he normally closed his shop most days over winter before opening again in September.
He works another job while his father Cosi, 70, mans the store. This year, they kept it closed all winter and planned to shutter it over September and October.
A spokesman for the state government said it was working with Mr Mezzino to examine whether the business could meet eligibility requirements.
“As with other South Australian government grant programs, minimum downturn and turnover requirements are in place to ensure fair, proper and reasonable expenditure of taxpayer funds,” the spokesman said.
“The state government has actively applied a flexible approach in instances where businesses come close to meeting requirements.”
To get a grant, businesses must also demonstrate a minimum turnover of $18,750 in a three-month comparative period.
Mr Mezzino said he had needed to pay an accountant to work through the complex grant application, who then discussed the matter with the government.
“It’s my dream to own a business, and I really only keep the shop open for two reasons,” he said.
“The community, because they don’t have anything there, and my father, he’s retired and he loves doing what he does.
“When people say to me, ‘do you want to sell the shop?’, my answer in my head and my heart is no. Financially, yes.”
He said the store’s location at the ramp meant “if you’re not going fishing, you’re not coming to my shop”.
SA Health has said fish caught live are safe to eat, while cautioning people against eating fish or cockles found dead.
Despite the government’s advice, the algal bloom has triggered a significant downturn in recreational fishing and plummeting local fish sales.
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Originally published as Andrew Mezzino weighs up future of The Ramp Bait and Tackle shop in North Haven as algal bloom crisis hits fishing shops
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