Latest news with #Kareniamikimotoi
7NEWS
15 hours ago
- Business
- 7NEWS
South Australia's Coorong at risk as algae outbreak puts fragile ecosystem on the brink
The toxic algae bloom that has plagued South Australian coastlines since March has, 'unfortunately,' made its way into one of the state's most fragile ecosystems — the Coorong. Last week's powerful storm surge was initially welcomed, with hopes it would push cold, salty ocean water onto the shore to disrupt the bloom of the toxic micro-algae karenia mikimotoi algae. However, those same strong currents instead drove the algae back up the Murray River at Goolwa, entering the Coorong through the Murray Mouth — where the river meets the Southern Ocean. With ongoing drought conditions and tidal influences, the algae has now found an ideal environment in which it may be impossible to remove. Previously responsible for murky waters and thick sea foam along the Fleurieu Peninsula, Karenia mikimotoi is also suspected to be linked to the recent deaths of several sharks on Adelaide beaches. Ecologist and Coorong Environmental Trustee Faith Coleman expressed grave concern about the algae's intrusion into the Coorong's intricate ecosystem. 'Unfortunately, that amazing storm tide managed to push the Karenia straight into the northern lagoon of the Coorong, where it is blooming quite happily,' she said. 'Because of the unique nature of coastal lagoons, once something gets in, it rarely gets out.' The algae has now established itself in a 'sweet spot' at the end of the northern lagoon, where conditions — including high salinity, warm temperatures, and stagnant water — are perfect for it to thrive. Up to two metres of decomposing marine life, described as 'worm soup,' has already been found, with dead tubeworms and larvae washing ashore. Experts warn this could disrupt the already delicate food chain in the area. 'Many of the small organisms at the base of the food chain — those vital to shorebirds and fish — are now washing up dead,' Coleman said. 'There isn't anything that lives or grows in the water of the Coorong that is safe from this.' Local fisherman Glen Hill, owner of Coorong Wild Seafood, said the situation could devastate the region's fishing industry. 'I've bashed my head against the side of the chiller in frustration. I've cried my eyes out,' Hill told 7NEWS. 'If we lose the bottom of the food chain, what do the fish eat? 'Potentially, we could lose everything.' The storm system also stirred up sediment and, combined with the lack of fresh water, has spiked salinity levels in the Coorong. This has led to further environmental stress, with fish such as mullet, mulloway, and bony bream suffering visible gill damage — likely caused by the increasingly toxic conditions. The Department of Primary Industries and Regions (PIRSA) confirmed they are investigating recent fish deaths but have not yet officially linked them to Karenia mikimotoi. 'We continue to work with other relevant government agencies on the current Karenia species algal bloom and associated fish deaths that have been occurring in South Australian waters since March,' a PIRSA spokesperson said in a statement to 7NEWS. Investigations are underway into reports of a bony bream fish kill in Woods Well Bay and a polychaete worm die-off near Long Point. Water samples have been collected and results are pending. 'Our role is to investigate any infectious or notifiable animal diseases that may have caused the fish deaths,' PIRSA said. The Department for Environment and Water (DEW) also confirmed the algae's entry into the Coorong was a known risk — and that any intervention, such as opening the barrages to flush water, could worsen the situation. 'The Coorong is open to the sea via the Murray Mouth and cannot be closed off from the ocean,' a DEW spokesperson said. 'During adverse weather and high tides, SA Water operates the barrages to minimise seawater entering Lake Alexandrina and to limit salinity impacts from reverse flows.' They added that although the tide pushed the algae in, the Coorong's natural connection to the Murray Mouth meant this could not be prevented. 'Pushing more water through the barrages to try to flush out the algae is unlikely to be effective and could risk spreading the bloom further south,' the spokesperson said. DEW confirmed it will continue monitoring the Coorong's northern lagoon and reaffirmed the State Government's commitment to protecting the area's ecological health. In the meantime, PIRSA and SA Health have advised the public not to collect or eat any dead or dying fish or marine organisms found along the shore. To report unusual sightings of fish kills or affected marine life, residents are urged to contact FISHWATCH on 1800 065 522. Concerns about water quality can be reported to the EPA at 1800 623 445 or by emailing yourepa@
Sydney Morning Herald
3 days ago
- Climate
- Sydney Morning Herald
What winter has in store for Sydney and NSW
Winter follows an autumn that was book-ended by a cyclone in the Brisbane region and floods in the Mid North Coast of NSW, while inland areas suffered record-breaking drought because of the position of the Southern Annular Mode. Minney said it was unclear when the drought would break. All the while, the continent was ringed by a marine heatwave that had killed coral in both Queensland and Western Australia and millions of fish in salmon farms in Tasmania. In South Australia, a bloom of Karenia mikimotoi algae has blanketed thousands of square kilometres of the ocean with discoloured water and foam for weeks, killing fish, sharks, rays, seahorses and other species with gills. The South Australian government said experts believed the marine heatwave – 2.5 degrees warmer than usual – combined with calm conditions, light winds and small swells had led to the bloom off the coast of Fleurieu Peninsula, Kangaroo Island and the southern coast of Yorke Peninsula. In an update on Thursday, the SA government said it hoped recent strong winds and ocean swells would break up the algal bloom. Internationally, King said the northern spring had brought wildfires in Scotland, while Spain was unusually wet. In Switzerland last week, a thawing glacier collapsed onto the village below and razed the forest. King said the link between climate change and heatwaves, both on land and in the ocean, was clear. It was more difficult to attribute specific rainfall events to global warming, though a warmer atmosphere can hold more moisture. Winter is here The weather bureau published its latest seasonal outlook for winter on Thursday. For June-August, the bureau sees a greater than 80 per cent chance of above-average maximum and minimum temperatures across most of Australia. In south-western and south-eastern Australia, and parts of the tropical north, the chances of unusually high maximum temperatures are above 70 per cent. In southern, eastern and northern parts of Australia, the chances of unusually high minimum temperatures exceed 70 per cent. The bureau also found a 60 to 80 per cent chance of above-average rainfall for much of mainland Australia, but even odds on whether it was wetter, drier or the same as usual for much of south-west Western Australia and south-eastern Australia, and parts of the tropical north. This was driven in part by an expectation that the Indian Ocean Dipole would switch to a negative phase by the end of winter. Bushfires and mould The Australian and New Zealand Council for fire and emergency services warns of an extra bushfire risk, especially in Victoria and South Australia. Mould is another risk for those in regions expecting heat and rain. Goran Surbevski at air-conditioning company Alliance Climate Control recommended running air-conditioning in 'dry mode', which sucks moisture out of the air. 'It's especially useful during those mild, rainy days when full heating isn't needed, but the air still feels damp,' Surbevski said. Standalone dehumidifiers can do the same thing, and insulation can prevent water entering. Patchy snow In the Australian Alps, businesses dependent on snow tourism fear they are in for another bad year. Loading Jindabyne business owner Olivier Kapetanakos said the past few years were like living through 'a climate change battle' from bushfires to floods as well as COVID-19. 'Now we've got what looks like to be the third bad winter snow season coming through,' he said. 'Businesses relying on tourism have had a pretty hard trot.' Kapetanakos, president of the Jindabyne Chamber of Commerce, part owner of a tourism real estate business and operator of farmstay provider Avonside Alpine Estate, said the snow season had shrunk from a 14-16 week season to a 12-week season in the past decade, and he expected that in future it could last just eight weeks. Snowy Monaro Regional Council had a gross regional product of $1.96 billion in 2024-25. Of that, $798.8 million was attributable to tourism. Kapetanakos said there were efforts to make tourism a year-round industry for the Snowy Mountains, by attracting hikers to a new multi-day walk and mountain bikers in the warmer months. Yet the most concentrated economic activity was the snow season because it was such an expensive time of year. King said climate change was a big threat to the ski industry in Australia in the long term, but the seasonal outlook could not accurately predict snow conditions in such a small area. Also, temperature would affect whether precipitation fell as snow or rain. 'In any given winter you might get lucky and just happen to have a good dump of snow at a good time,' King said.
The Age
3 days ago
- Climate
- The Age
What winter has in store for Sydney and NSW
Winter follows an autumn that was book-ended by a cyclone in the Brisbane region and floods in the Mid North Coast of NSW, while inland areas suffered record-breaking drought because of the position of the Southern Annular Mode. Minney said it was unclear when the drought would break. All the while, the continent was ringed by a marine heatwave that had killed coral in both Queensland and Western Australia and millions of fish in salmon farms in Tasmania. In South Australia, a bloom of Karenia mikimotoi algae has blanketed thousands of square kilometres of the ocean with discoloured water and foam for weeks, killing fish, sharks, rays, seahorses and other species with gills. The South Australian government said experts believed the marine heatwave – 2.5 degrees warmer than usual – combined with calm conditions, light winds and small swells had led to the bloom off the coast of Fleurieu Peninsula, Kangaroo Island and the southern coast of Yorke Peninsula. In an update on Thursday, the SA government said it hoped recent strong winds and ocean swells would break up the algal bloom. Internationally, King said the northern spring had brought wildfires in Scotland, while Spain was unusually wet. In Switzerland last week, a thawing glacier collapsed onto the village below and razed the forest. King said the link between climate change and heatwaves, both on land and in the ocean, was clear. It was more difficult to attribute specific rainfall events to global warming, though a warmer atmosphere can hold more moisture. Winter is here The weather bureau published its latest seasonal outlook for winter on Thursday. For June-August, the bureau sees a greater than 80 per cent chance of above-average maximum and minimum temperatures across most of Australia. In south-western and south-eastern Australia, and parts of the tropical north, the chances of unusually high maximum temperatures are above 70 per cent. In southern, eastern and northern parts of Australia, the chances of unusually high minimum temperatures exceed 70 per cent. The bureau also found a 60 to 80 per cent chance of above-average rainfall for much of mainland Australia, but even odds on whether it was wetter, drier or the same as usual for much of south-west Western Australia and south-eastern Australia, and parts of the tropical north. This was driven in part by an expectation that the Indian Ocean Dipole would switch to a negative phase by the end of winter. Bushfires and mould The Australian and New Zealand Council for fire and emergency services warns of an extra bushfire risk, especially in Victoria and South Australia. Mould is another risk for those in regions expecting heat and rain. Goran Surbevski at air-conditioning company Alliance Climate Control recommended running air-conditioning in 'dry mode', which sucks moisture out of the air. 'It's especially useful during those mild, rainy days when full heating isn't needed, but the air still feels damp,' Surbevski said. Standalone dehumidifiers can do the same thing, and insulation can prevent water entering. Patchy snow In the Australian Alps, businesses dependent on snow tourism fear they are in for another bad year. Loading Jindabyne business owner Olivier Kapetanakos said the past few years were like living through 'a climate change battle' from bushfires to floods as well as COVID-19. 'Now we've got what looks like to be the third bad winter snow season coming through,' he said. 'Businesses relying on tourism have had a pretty hard trot.' Kapetanakos, president of the Jindabyne Chamber of Commerce, part owner of a tourism real estate business and operator of farmstay provider Avonside Alpine Estate, said the snow season had shrunk from a 14-16 week season to a 12-week season in the past decade, and he expected that in future it could last just eight weeks. Snowy Monaro Regional Council had a gross regional product of $1.96 billion in 2024-25. Of that, $798.8 million was attributable to tourism. Kapetanakos said there were efforts to make tourism a year-round industry for the Snowy Mountains, by attracting hikers to a new multi-day walk and mountain bikers in the warmer months. Yet the most concentrated economic activity was the snow season because it was such an expensive time of year. King said climate change was a big threat to the ski industry in Australia in the long term, but the seasonal outlook could not accurately predict snow conditions in such a small area. Also, temperature would affect whether precipitation fell as snow or rain. 'In any given winter you might get lucky and just happen to have a good dump of snow at a good time,' King said.
The Age
4 days ago
- Climate
- The Age
‘Seemingly endless fire season' predicted for Victoria this winter
Climate scientist David Karoly said there had been long-term declines in average snow cover and depth, and the length of the snow season, over the past 30 years. 'To get the big snow dumps ... that build the snow base and allow it to survive rainfall … is associated with cold temperatures that flow from the Antarctic region. And unfortunately this season, and for many of the past few winters, there's been much above average temperatures.' Abnormally warm and dry conditions have been repeated in South Australia, with communities in the state's southern coastal areas, and significant portions of western, south-western and south-eastern Victoria, warned to prepare for unseasonable bushfire risks. Loading Winter follows an autumn that was book-ended by a cyclone in the Brisbane region and floods in the Mid North Coast region of New South Wales, while inland areas suffered record-breaking drought because of the position of the Southern Annular Mode. Bureau of Meteorology climatologist Caitlin Minney said it was unclear when the drought would break. All the while, the continent was ringed by a marine heatwave that killed coral in both Queensland and Western Australia and millions of fish in salmon farms in Tasmania. In South Australia, a bloom of Karenia mikimotoi algae has blanketed thousands of square kilometres of the ocean with discoloured water and foam for weeks, killing fish, sharks, rays, seahorses and other gilled species. The SA government said experts believed the marine heatwave – 2.5 degrees warmer than usual – combined with calm conditions, light wind and small swells had led to the bloom off the coast of the Fleurieu Peninsula, Kangaroo Island and the southern coast of Yorke Peninsula. King said the link between climate change and heatwaves, both on land and in the ocean, was clear. It was more difficult to attribute specific rainfall events to global warming, though a warmer atmosphere could hold more moisture. Closer to home, Country Fire Authority Acting Chief Officer Garry Cook said bushfires remained a real risk despite the onset of winter. 'The lack of rainfall and dry vegetation across many parts of the state is a great concern for firefighters this time of the year, and we're asking people to remain vigilant and not become complacent just because we're not in summer any more,' he said. 'While cooler days are arriving, the landscape remains dry enough to allow fires to start and spread quickly if a burn-off gets out of control, especially when coupled with strong winds.' Cropping and grassland areas would be grazed out or mostly bare, according to the Australian and New Zealand council for fire and emergency services, but forested areas would be at increased risk of fires. Weatherzone meteorologist Ben Domensino said the ongoing drought across parts of Victoria and SA was causing 'a seemingly endless 2025 fire season'. 'Tasmania is also likely to see organic soils smouldering throughout winter due to the state's ongoing deep soil dryness,' he said.
Sydney Morning Herald
4 days ago
- Climate
- Sydney Morning Herald
‘Seemingly endless fire season' predicted for Victoria this winter
Climate scientist David Karoly said there had been long-term declines in average snow cover and depth, and the length of the snow season, over the past 30 years. 'To get the big snow dumps ... that build the snow base and allow it to survive rainfall … is associated with cold temperatures that flow from the Antarctic region. And unfortunately this season, and for many of the past few winters, there's been much above average temperatures.' Abnormally warm and dry conditions have been repeated in South Australia, with communities in the state's southern coastal areas, and significant portions of western, south-western and south-eastern Victoria, warned to prepare for unseasonable bushfire risks. Loading Winter follows an autumn that was book-ended by a cyclone in the Brisbane region and floods in the Mid North Coast region of New South Wales, while inland areas suffered record-breaking drought because of the position of the Southern Annular Mode. Bureau of Meteorology climatologist Caitlin Minney said it was unclear when the drought would break. All the while, the continent was ringed by a marine heatwave that killed coral in both Queensland and Western Australia and millions of fish in salmon farms in Tasmania. In South Australia, a bloom of Karenia mikimotoi algae has blanketed thousands of square kilometres of the ocean with discoloured water and foam for weeks, killing fish, sharks, rays, seahorses and other gilled species. The SA government said experts believed the marine heatwave – 2.5 degrees warmer than usual – combined with calm conditions, light wind and small swells had led to the bloom off the coast of the Fleurieu Peninsula, Kangaroo Island and the southern coast of Yorke Peninsula. King said the link between climate change and heatwaves, both on land and in the ocean, was clear. It was more difficult to attribute specific rainfall events to global warming, though a warmer atmosphere could hold more moisture. Closer to home, Country Fire Authority Acting Chief Officer Garry Cook said bushfires remained a real risk despite the onset of winter. 'The lack of rainfall and dry vegetation across many parts of the state is a great concern for firefighters this time of the year, and we're asking people to remain vigilant and not become complacent just because we're not in summer any more,' he said. 'While cooler days are arriving, the landscape remains dry enough to allow fires to start and spread quickly if a burn-off gets out of control, especially when coupled with strong winds.' Cropping and grassland areas would be grazed out or mostly bare, according to the Australian and New Zealand council for fire and emergency services, but forested areas would be at increased risk of fires. Weatherzone meteorologist Ben Domensino said the ongoing drought across parts of Victoria and SA was causing 'a seemingly endless 2025 fire season'. 'Tasmania is also likely to see organic soils smouldering throughout winter due to the state's ongoing deep soil dryness,' he said.
