South Australia’s Algal Bloom Crisis Demands Science, Honesty and Public Support
At our annual Lobster Lunch at The Kitchen by SkyCity, we gathered with industry leaders, scientists, and government representatives to talk not about growth or exports, but crisis. The algal bloom spreading through South Australian waters is not just a scientific anomaly, it’s a wake-up call.
For most of us, marine heatwaves and chlorophyll levels are not typical lunchtime conversation. But as the Hon. Clare Scriven MLC, Minister for Primary Industries, reminded us, this bloom is unprecedented. Fuelled by a marine heatwave and nutrient surges, it has overstayed its expected lifecycle, affecting some shellfish farms, commercial fisheries, and the livelihoods of entire regional communities.
And here lies the challenge: while some regions are dealing with closures, many others remain unaffected and continue to produce safe, premium seafood. The real danger is reputational – if we treat all of SA’s seafood as unsafe, we risk hurting the very people who need our support most.
Minister Scriven was frank about the limits of human control:
“There’s nothing we can actually do to stop the algal bloom… This is a natural phenomenon and it’s not something humans so far can actually impact.”
That preparation is already underway. Janet Anstee of AquaWatch Australia (CSIRO) is building a “weather service for water quality,” combining satellites, AI, and low-cost sensors to deliver real-time, actionable data. In a world where climate-related anomalies will only become more common, it’s the kind of innovation South Australia, and the globe, desperately needs.
But the immediate work is here at home. Lukina Lukin, Managing Director of Dinko Tuna, explained that while her tuna is healthy and growing well, uncertainty in the supply chain is a growing concern:
“My concern is the sardine fishery. Because for our tuna, we need sardines. And I feed my tuna one hundred percent South Australian sardine… How can we feed our tuna?”
Her message was clear: the tuna is safe to eat, but the industry is under pressure as critical feed sources are disrupted.
South Australia has some of the strictest food safety laws in the world – think of the millions invested in protecting our fruit from fruit fly, ensuring every piece that reaches the market is safe. The same applies to seafood. Oysters, for example, are natural filters – while they can’t be harvested during the bloom, they remain in the water growing, ready for harvest once extensive testing deems them safe again.
The seafood we see on supermarket shelves isn’t toxic – it’s resilient. The answer to this challenge is partly patience and partly action: waiting out the bloom while backing our seafood farmers in the meantime. That means continuing to buy local while safe product is still available.
If it’s on the supermarket shelf or the menu, it’s been through some of the most rigorous testing in the world. By choosing SA prawns, mussels, tuna or other seafood right now, you’re not just enjoying world-class produce – you’re keeping livelihoods afloat, sustaining regional communities, and ensuring this industry emerges from the crisis stronger than before.
South Australia’s seafood industry has long been its pride. Now, it’s our responsibility to protect it, trust it, and support it.
Article by Showcase SA
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