Scientists Find Rare Algae Behind SA’s Toxic Bloom Crisis

It was recently discovered that the main reason behind South Australia's toxic algal bloom crisis is a rare species of algae. According to multiple scientists in a paper published this week, the algae species behind the bloom is a novel brevetoxin producer called Karenia cristata. The bloom has killed thousands of marine wildlife and hurt the state's seafood industries badly.

Scientists Conduct Special Tests to Find Type of Algae

We used custom metabarcoding, long read sequencing and targeted quantitative PCR to investigate the microalgal assemblage. Karenia cristata dominated over the sampling area, in a group with four other Karenia species with varied amounts spatially and temporally, the paper's abstract reads. Harmful algal bloom expert Professor Shauna Murray from UTS Sydney was one of the authors of the paper. She told NewsWire on Thursday that she and her colleagues had started testing samples taken from South Australia in March.

It's a mixed bloom, involving five different Karenina species, she said. The one that is making the brevetoxin is a species called Karenia cristata. She cautioned that the scientific community was largely in the dark about the species. We know very little about it, she said. It's literally been reported twice in the world before.

She said the species was responsible for a bloom in South Africa in the 1990s. It was also identified on a small island in Newfoundland in Canada. That's the sum total of what we know, she said. She said researchers would now try to understand how the species grows and develops. Then maybe we can understand what caused the bloom, she said.

A bloom of South Australia was first detected in March. In eight months, it has spread to cover 20,000 square kilometres. That is about 30 per cent of the state's coastline. It has thrown state money-making fisheries and coastal tourism industries into chaos. Fears of widespread job losses are growing.

Fishermen Can't Find Squid Anymore

The owner of Button Fisheries, Bart Butson, spoke at a senate inquiry into the bloom in Ardrossan in mid-September. He told the inquiry he hadn't seen any calamari or squid in the St Vincent Gulf for the previous two and a half months. That is just incredible for us. It should not happen, he said. Port Lincoln Mayor Diana Mislov appeared that same week. She said fishermen in the iconic seafood capital of Australia were struggling to catch fish in the Spencer Gulf.

We're feeling it on our bays. The fish just are not biting, they are not there, she said. I've had stories. A fisherman fishes for squid, but he has not seen squid since April in our bays. So those fishermen are having to drive to the west coast, take their boats over there. That is 600 kilometres away. They go fishing from those locations.

Government Announces Big Support Package

The plan includes a mix of packages aimed at boosting more travel, propping up businesses that have been smashed by the toxic bloom and expanding research and restoration efforts. Some $48 million will go to travel vouchers, grants for small businesses and fee relief for fisheries and aquaculture licence holders. Also included is a $15 million dining cashback program. This covers meals at eligible places along the coast.

It is available to South Australians. It will distribute 60,000 $50 vouchers through a public ballot each month from November. The plan also allots $20.6 million for the restoration of large-scale native oyster reefs, community shellfish reefs, seagrass and blue carbon. It will also launch a targeted breeding, conservation and fish stocking program. This is for vulnerable and threatened species hit by the bloom. A further $17.3 million will go to a range of research projects. Including a new $3.2 million South Australian-based office for algal bloom research.

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