'Practical focus' as algal bloom inquiry calls rejected
The naturally occurring algal bloom has killed tens of thousands of marine animals from almost 400 species and caused widespread disruption to commercial fisheries and aquaculture operations since it was identified off the Fleurieu Peninsula in March.
The Liberal Party has called for a royal commission to deliver "independent accountability, transparency and real recommendations" on the algal bloom.
Opposition Leader Vincent Tarzia said experience of similar incidents around the world showed it could be several years before fishing, aquaculture and tourism industries recovered.
Environment Minister Susan Close said the state government's focus was on providing practical support to businesses, "including licence fee relief which was asked for and welcomed by the industry".
"The government continues to work with commercial fishers, tourism operators and councils to support them through this difficult time and to look at research and recovery investment options," she said.
"The commonwealth government is being kept informed and its assistance will likely be sought to fund some measures."
But sixth-generation squid fisherman Nathan Eatts, based on the Fleurieu Peninsula, told AAP the industry needed much more support than fee relief, along the lines of the Farm Household Allowance for drought, or JobKeeper during the COVID-19 pandemic.
"I haven't caught a single calamari since April 18, and calamari is 95 per cent of my business," he said.
"Fee relief is going to be like a grand. It doesn't do a lot."
He said the only thing giving him hope was the fact dead squid were not being found on shore.
"So there's a little bit of optimism there that maybe they're out in deep water waiting for this algae to clear. But when is it going to clear?
"It's stressing everyone out."
The bloom has been breaking up in recent weeks, spreading north into Spencer Gulf, south into the Coorong wetlands and along Adelaide's beaches in Gulf St Vincent.
The government revealed last week it had now been detected in Adelaide's Port River.
The algal bloom has also forced a temporary halt to mussel harvesting in several areas around Port Lincoln due to the detection of shellfish toxins.
Latest statewide observations show sea surface temperatures have continued to decrease in shallow coastal and gulf waters.
But deeper continental shelf waters, including around Kangaroo Island and southern Yorke Peninsula, continue to experience moderate to strong marine heatwave conditions of 1C to 2C above average.
The state government is offering an initial relief package to affected fishing licence holders to waive fees from April to June.
Experts partly attribute the bloom to a marine heatwave that started in September - with sea temperatures about 2.5C warmer than usual - combined with calm conditions, light winds and small swells.
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