4 days ago
Algal levels rising near two Adelaide jetties amid bloom 'buck-passing' claims
Several popular spots along Adelaide's coast have recorded increases in harmful Karenia algae, according to the state government's latest water testing results, which have come amid warnings that current weather conditions are not helping to break up the bloom.
The results show rises in algae cell counts near the Grange and Largs Bay jetties, along with parts of the Port River and West Lakes.
But the news is more positive for regional oyster growers, with levels of brevetoxin declining in Cowell, American River, Stansbury, Port Vincent and Coobowie.
Several oyster growing businesses across those areas have been forced to close over the last few months due to higher levels of brevetoxin — neurotoxic shellfish poisons that can affect oysters, mussels and scallops.
Premier Peter Malinauskas said the latest results were good news for growers "in terms of likelihood of being able to go back into sale".
"Having said that, it has not yet gone down to the levels that allow it go to market," he said.
"We're seeing a trend in a positive direction, but that needs to be maintained for some time before they will be in a position to be able to sell."
Following a meeting of the algal bloom taskforce on Thursday, the state government released weekly water testing results for 17 metropolitan sites measuring cell counts for the Karenia algae.
The results show the algae's presence has increased at seven sites: Grange Jetty, Largs Bay Jetty, O'Sullivan Beach Boat Ramp, Patawalonga King Street Bridge, Port River Dock One, the Port River Outer Harbor Boat Ramp and West Lakes Exit.
But algal cell counts are down at five other sites, including at the Onkaparinga Rowing Club, Port River Garden Island Boat Ramp, West Bach Boat Ramp, and the Bartley Terrace and Lochside footbridges at West Lakes.
A further fives sites, including the Glenelg Jetty and West Lakes Inlet, remain at the same level as the previous week.
The premier said this week's results were "consistent with what we saw last week".
He said the "key conditions" for getting on top of the bloom were "cooler weather" and "less sunlight".
"In the absence of those, it's reasonable to assume that the algae will continue to persist at least on that basis barring other interventions," he said.
"[But] there are also signs of abatement as well and there is still some reason for hope."
The latest testing results came as the government faced questions about its communications during the early months of the bloom.
Freedom of Information documents obtained by the opposition show that inquiries from the public about the bloom were referred between the offices of Deputy Premier Susan Close and Primary Industries Minister Clare Scriven.
In one instance, a Fleurieu Peninsula resident emailed the deputy premier's office on April 29 to express alarm about the bloom and seek information on "how the SA Government is intending to support the regeneration of marine ecosystems in the region".
The resident also wanted to know whether the government would tighten recreational fishing regulations.
The next day, the deputy premier's office forwarded the email to Ms Scriven's office, "as it relates more to the PIRSA (Primary Industries and Regions) portfolio".
But a staff member for Ms Scriven replied a day later that they were "unable to accept" the referral in full because "this correspondence relates more to regeneration of marine eco systems".
Ms Scriven's office did, however, offer to respond to the recreational fishing question by May 14.
After that deadline passed, the deputy premier's office followed up on May 20 by writing "sorry to bug you on this one" and then enquiring whether any response had been "approved".
Ms Scriven's office then provided the information to the deputy premier's office on May 21 — three weeks after the resident's initial inquiry.
Shadow Primary Industries Minister Nicola Centofanti said the government's response was "buck-passing at its best".
"These emails are from individuals who were really concerned about dead fish life washing up on their shores," she said.
Ms Close said it was common for minsters to receive letters from constituents that were unrelated to their portfolio area.
"[Letter writers are] not required to know exactly what the responsibility of that particular minister is, we sort that out behind the scenes to make sure that there's an answer — it's completely orthodox," she said.
"With this particular issue, naturally, there are lots of dimensions to it and early on there was a question of making sure that we were getting the right information so I'm not giving health advice and the fisheries minister isn't talking about the natural environment."
Ms Close said such letters typically did not get raised with ministers but were sorted out by their offices.
"What I will say though is that we've taken this bloom very seriously."
There have been hopes that cold winter weather would break up the algal bloom.
But that has not come to fruition, and the premier said the state government was now "very much working towards the worst-case scenario" of the bloom persisting into spring and summer.
"It would take a pretty bold person today to predict that it would be absolutely gone by then," he said.
The South Australian Research and Development Institute (SARDI) is monitoring the algal bloom. Its executive director Mike Steer said the bloom's past behaviour meant it was "prudent" to prepare for it sticking around in summer.
"We've seen periods of time where it has contracted and then after a favourable environmental condition it has increased.
"It's prudent for the emphasis to be put into a summer plan."
