Mayor warns beachgoers to stay away as mystery foam washes up on from Victor Harbor to Waitpinga

The local mayor has issued a shock warning as surfers and swimmers fall ill and dead fish wash ashore on south coast beaches.

A sludge-coloured foam and dead fish have been sighted on the beaches of Waitpinga Point to Victor Harbor. Picture: Facebook

The likely cause of the dead wildlife washing up on south coast beaches and surfers experiencing worrying symptoms after emerging from the waters has been identified.

The South Australian Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) believes the sludge-coloured foam appearing on the beaches from Waitpinga Point to Victor Harbor is due to a microalgal bloom, driven by hot temperatures and still water.

It comes as a yellow-toned discoloured foam was seen across the beach stretch, with a froth-like consistency and a glossy surface to the water and several marine animals, including multiple species of fish, sea dragons and octopus were seen washed up on the beach.

Several fish have been washed ashore the beaches of Waitpinga Point to Victor Harbor, with no answers as to what is causing their deaths. Picture: Facebook

A dead octopus has been spotted on the beach stretch from Waitpinga Point to Victor Harbor, with no answers as to what the cause is. Picture: Facebook

Waitpinga Beach and Parsons Beach beaches in Newland Head Conservation Park have been closed while Victor Harbor mayor Moira Jenkins warned residents and visitors to stay off the beaches on the eastern side of the Fleurieu Peninsula.

Dr Jenkins told FIVEAA on Tuesday beaches near Victor Harbor should be avoided.

“There’s beaches that haven’t been closed as yet, and I know from talking to a few of the locals who usually swim around in Encounter Bay and up near the beach near the Yacht Club here in Victor Harbor – which hasn’t been closed – they were talking very much about having very irritated eyes and coughing and skin feeling irritated,” she said.

“I’d just avoid the beaches down here at the moment, until we get the all clear from the EPA and from DEW … if dogs go running and galloping into the water, which they love doing, then they may suffer as well.”

On Monday, an EPA spokesperson said it was believed the event could be due to a microalgal bloom that has been driven by hot temperatures and still water and an ongoing marine heatwave.

EPA SA principal marine scientist Sam Gaylard told FIVEAA experts visited the beaches on Monday.

“It was clear that it’s a micro algae, so we took some samples, and we’re going to get that confirmed,” he said.

A beach user told 7NEWS he experienced symptoms while in or near the vicinity of the beach.

“It started with getting a really scratchy, itchy throat and it turned into a raspy cough. That was first thing I noticed,” beach user Anthony Rowland said.

Mr Rowland fell ill after heading out to surf on Saturday morning, while his friends, he said, who hadn’t entered the waters yet that day also experienced similar symptoms while in the car park.

A sludge-coloured foam and several dead fish have been sighted on the beaches of Waitpinga Point to Victor Harbor. Picture: Facebook

It is not yet known what’s behind the incident but algal blooms have been suggested. Picture: Facebook

Dead fish posted to social media. Picture: Facebook

Dead fish posted to social media. Picture: Facebook

Surfer Anthony Rowland. Picture: 7NEWS

Several users have commented on the Victor Harbor Facebook Community Board, relaying their experiences at the beach.

“There is currently an algae bloom stretching from east beaches on KI through to the Murray Mouth … Loads of dead fish on all beaches between and surfers reporting eye, and throat infections,” commented one user Andy Alford.

Another user, Nathan Moore, commented, “Pretty bad out at waits & parsons. lots of surfers getting eye infections and getting very sick from it also”.

Investigations are underway surrounding the mysterious foam and mass of dead fish washed ashore on the beach stretch from Waitpinga Point to Victor Harbor. Picture: Facebook

One user noted that they had blurry vision all day after returning home from a paddle at Middleton.

“My husband and I just walked the beach from Oliver’s reef towards Chiton rocks and we both had a dry cough. It stopped when we came off the beach. Also saw many different dead fish. I’m glad I found this information. I thought we had suddenly caught a virus,” commented another user, Alyson Thomas.

Originally published as Mayor warns beachgoers to stay away as mystery foam washes up on from Victor Harbor to Waitpinga