Algae bloom may be behind ‘Brucey' coming close to Adelaide beaches
The algae bloom haunting beaches in southern Australia may be affecting the greater ocean after a number of shark sightings.
The micro-algae karenia mikimotoi is causing the seafoam along and murky water across South Australia's Fleurieu Peninsula.
The foam — likened by some to the froth on a milkshake — and its effects were first noticed by surfers at Waitpinga, about 100km from Adelaide, on March 15, with the EPA reporting the algae has since been found on beaches from Cape Jervis to Encounter Bay.
A shark expert has told 7NEWS the animals may be sick from the toxic algae that has already killed sealife near Goolwa, their usual feeding grounds, but said the sharks are not worried about swimmers.
Andrew Fox told 7NEWS that the risk of being bitten is low, as the shark desperately tries to survive the lack of oxygen in the waters.
'It's possible that sharks are in a lot of strife, the last thing in its mind is to be a potential shark bite risk factor,' he said.
A mystery white pointer nicknamed 'Brucey' was seen near Normanville on Tuesday in waters so shallow its fin stuck out of the water metres from shore.
Fox said the sharks are in the shallows due to the higher oxygen levels.
'We know that this is probably related to the record temps (of the water) and the algal blooms,' he said.
'I suspect that the respiration of the sharks are being affected and they're trying to get more oxygenated waters in the shallows.'
Since March 15, the pristine cost of the eastern side of the Fleurieu Peninsula has been filled with thousands of dead cockles and fish remain on beaches from Goolwa to Victor Harbour, with Alexandrina Council advising the public to not touch or consume the sealife.
Human exposure, which includes breathing in algae particles, can cause respiratory and eye irritation or skin rashes in some people, while ingestion could cause stomach upsets or flu-like symptoms.
The particles can become airborne and affect nearby beachside properties.
Fox also said that the government should fund further investigations into what is adversely affecting the sharks along the coastlines.
'I think a bit of funding should be put into working out what is going on,' he said.
In the last few days, two monster-sized sharks come close to busy pristine Adelaide beaches and two smaller sharks have washed ashore, dead.
A bronze whaler was spotted at Maslin beach on April 17, so close to shore that he could be filmed by swimmers from the safety of the sand.
All shark sightings have been on the western side of the Fleurieu Peninsula.
On Tuesday, SharkAlert SA posted the sighting of the 'Mystery Brucey' suspecting this may be the same shark spotted at Maslin's and Aldinga in the previous week.
In the video, Lexi Grabb, who handed the footage to SharkAlert SA, is walking along the beach recording the shark in waters so shallow both its massive fin and tail can be seen poking out of the water.
The shark is estimated to be about 3m in length, with SharkAlert SA telling its followers that it could be a 'pointer'.
A white pointer is a great white shark, and can grow from 4m to almost 6m in length depending on sex, with the females often being larger.
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