David Pemberthy and Will Goodings six to nine five double a breakfast. Something we wanted to do since we talked about it at length at seven o'clock this morning, is just do a bit of a whip around from people that have been witnesses to what the algall bloom is causing on our beaches. I mean, this is an environmental disaster the likes of which we haven't seen for a while. Again, I'll repeat that excellent turn of phrase used by a marine biologist and the ties of this morning that this is the equivalent of a bushfire under the sea. Sea life is being killed. We see the bits that obviously wash up, but it is unlike anything we've seen before, and every expert we've spoken to has said that. So we want to do a bit of a whip around to communities. Kangar Island is a really important one here. Michael Pinilli, the mayor there, is going to join us in just a moment. But one of our listeners, Adam, sent us through a couple in the last week some really concerning pictures of sea life washing up at Port Vincent. Now you call Lark's bayheme typically, Adam, good morning to you. But what did you see port Vincent?

David Pemberthy and Will Goodings six to nine five double a breakfast. Something we wanted to do since we talked about it at length at seven o'clock this morning, is just do a bit of a whip around from people that have been witnesses to what the algall bloom is causing on our beaches. I mean, this is an environmental disaster the likes of which we haven't seen for a while. Again, I'll repeat that excellent turn of phrase used by a marine biologist and the ties of this morning that this is the equivalent of a bushfire under the sea. Sea life is being killed. We see the bits that obviously wash up, but it is unlike anything we've seen before, and every expert we've spoken to has said that. So we want to do a bit of a whip around to communities. Kangar Island is a really important one here. Michael Pinilli, the mayor there, is going to join us in just a moment. But one of our listeners, Adam, sent us through a couple in the last week some really concerning pictures of sea life washing up at Port Vincent. Now you call Lark's bayheme typically, Adam, good morning to you. But what did you see port Vincent?

Yeah, Dave well Luke live in Large Bay. But I got to put into the fair bit I've never seen when I walk my dog along the back beach every morning, they're so many dead fish. I noticed one, then two, than three, and then as I moved the seaweed away, I spinal them everywhere.

Yeah, Dave well Luke live in Large Bay. But I got to put into the fair bit I've never seen when I walk my dog along the back beach every morning, they're so many dead fish. I noticed one, then two, than three, and then as I moved the seaweed away, I spinal them everywhere.

What sort of fish? What variety of fish were there? Adam?

What sort of fish? What variety of fish were there? Adam?

You know the skate that usually hangs around when you're raking for craw yep, yep. Quite a few of them, probably more so catfish, which I've never even caught a catfish on a line out there, so I don't even know where the catfish is coming from. They were all probably five or six of them dead, and then two dog sharks.

You know the skate that usually hangs around when you're raking for craw yep, yep. Quite a few of them, probably more so catfish, which I've never even caught a catfish on a line out there, so I don't even know where the catfish is coming from. They were all probably five or six of them dead, and then two dog sharks.

It sounds like from what you're describing, it sounds like they're all bottom dwelling fish too.

It sounds like from what you're describing, it sounds like they're all bottom dwelling fish too.

Yeah.

Yeah.

I spoke to my old man about it, and he reckons it's like the gills. You know how the normal fish just has that single gill, but then those sort of fish have like multiple gills. Yeah, yeah, and things like the alga blur and.

I spoke to my old man about it, and he reckons it's like the gills. You know how the normal fish just has that single gill, but then those sort of fish have like multiple gills. Yeah, yeah, and things like the alga blur and.

The gills just sucking it all in.

The gills just sucking it all in.

Yeah, it's horrible horrible, horrible thing to see worth reporting because I mean we obviously you know here in metropolitan Adelaide, it's places like Port Vincent that I think people are seeing this most dramatically and Kano Island. There was a really disturbing quote in the paper this morning from Roanna Holbelt, who's the owner and operator of Kango Island based research and touring company rad KI said, this is a quote she'd spoken with thirty or forty people who had picked up dozens of leafy sea dragons. Yeah, you know, the unique, unique to this part of the world, the leafy sea dragon. She said, before the bloom outbreak, she'd only ever found one dead leafy sea dragon on the beach. This is someone who does this for a living. Michael Pengilli, the mayor of Kango Islands, on the line mayor, good morning.

Yeah, it's horrible horrible, horrible thing to see worth reporting because I mean we obviously you know here in metropolitan Adelaide, it's places like Port Vincent that I think people are seeing this most dramatically and Kano Island. There was a really disturbing quote in the paper this morning from Roanna Holbelt, who's the owner and operator of Kango Island based research and touring company rad KI said, this is a quote she'd spoken with thirty or forty people who had picked up dozens of leafy sea dragons. Yeah, you know, the unique, unique to this part of the world, the leafy sea dragon. She said, before the bloom outbreak, she'd only ever found one dead leafy sea dragon on the beach. This is someone who does this for a living. Michael Pengilli, the mayor of Kango Islands, on the line mayor, good morning.

To you, Good morning boys, and good morning to your listeners.

To you, Good morning boys, and good morning to your listeners.

I mean, every time I've gone to Ki, you get there, it doesn't matter if you're on the south side of the north side, you have the sense that this is the ultimate unspoiled oceanic sort of wilderness. It must be heartbreaking seeing those some of the images of all the dead fish on island, beach and other parts of the island. How bad has it been for the local community.

I mean, every time I've gone to Ki, you get there, it doesn't matter if you're on the south side of the north side, you have the sense that this is the ultimate unspoiled oceanic sort of wilderness. It must be heartbreaking seeing those some of the images of all the dead fish on island, beach and other parts of the island. How bad has it been for the local community.

Oh, it's devastating. It's devastating for the sea life. It's devastating for the community people who down there walking on the beaches. Visitors have been pretty appalled. Their numbers have dropped off now. But it's it's just a real kick in the guts for South Australia and particularly for the north coast of Kangle Island. The south coast is not as badly affected. The west end has some effect out there as well, but the North coast is really the area that's been hit very hard and continuing to be hit hard.

Oh, it's devastating. It's devastating for the sea life. It's devastating for the community people who down there walking on the beaches. Visitors have been pretty appalled. Their numbers have dropped off now. But it's it's just a real kick in the guts for South Australia and particularly for the north coast of Kangle Island. The south coast is not as badly affected. The west end has some effect out there as well, but the North coast is really the area that's been hit very hard and continuing to be hit hard.

I guess too obviously the geography of it being much more enclosed on the south side and still no sort of respite on the horizon.

I guess too obviously the geography of it being much more enclosed on the south side and still no sort of respite on the horizon.

No, what we need is the West Leies to kick in winter West Leies. That just hasn't happened yet. So if you look at investigated straight, it's really a big lake. The outflows one endcross the west end of the island, the other one through backstairs passage. The Gulfs are there as well, particularly the Gulf Sint Vincent, so there's just not the wind to break things up, the foams out there. The water's discolored in parts. If I stand on the hill at our place, look out and see it doesn't look any different whatsoever to what you see every day. But in close it's absolutely frightening and horrendous. And the analogy with the bushfires is well, I've used myself. It was five years ago. There's you two both recall quite clearly the island was black, or half the island was black. We're still recovering from that. And this is my concern is how long it will take to recover the stocks to get back to normal. I can't see it recovering in any short time. Has just been The amount of devastation on the beaches is just terrible.

No, what we need is the West Leies to kick in winter West Leies. That just hasn't happened yet. So if you look at investigated straight, it's really a big lake. The outflows one endcross the west end of the island, the other one through backstairs passage. The Gulfs are there as well, particularly the Gulf Sint Vincent, so there's just not the wind to break things up, the foams out there. The water's discolored in parts. If I stand on the hill at our place, look out and see it doesn't look any different whatsoever to what you see every day. But in close it's absolutely frightening and horrendous. And the analogy with the bushfires is well, I've used myself. It was five years ago. There's you two both recall quite clearly the island was black, or half the island was black. We're still recovering from that. And this is my concern is how long it will take to recover the stocks to get back to normal. I can't see it recovering in any short time. Has just been The amount of devastation on the beaches is just terrible.

Do older local on the island, Michael, have recollection of an event like this.

Do older local on the island, Michael, have recollection of an event like this.

No, I've never seen anything like it in my life. We've had things go wrong from time to time, of course, but nothing like this. This is just a monster, an absolute monster, and it's yeah, it's I haven't spoken to anyone who's seen. The professional fishermen, the hookies have pretty much given up going fishing because there's just nothing out there. But in the same vogue. We were told I did a minister or hook up with Susan Close last week and they said there that person said that the catchers were whiting in Kalamari outside the Alga bloom area actually increased. So whether the fish have gone into clear water so they can breed, that's what they can't do at this moon. That stops some breathing in escence. It's just pretty pretty horrendous.

No, I've never seen anything like it in my life. We've had things go wrong from time to time, of course, but nothing like this. This is just a monster, an absolute monster, and it's yeah, it's I haven't spoken to anyone who's seen. The professional fishermen, the hookies have pretty much given up going fishing because there's just nothing out there. But in the same vogue. We were told I did a minister or hook up with Susan Close last week and they said there that person said that the catchers were whiting in Kalamari outside the Alga bloom area actually increased. So whether the fish have gone into clear water so they can breed, that's what they can't do at this moon. That stops some breathing in escence. It's just pretty pretty horrendous.

Yeah, yeah, thanks for your time, Mey and Michael Pingelli there from the King of Island Council.

Yeah, yeah, thanks for your time, Mey and Michael Pingelli there from the King of Island Council.

Well, it's head to the Prime Industries Minister. Claire Scribven now a minister, good morning to you. Good mind read comments from Susan Close this morning. She said what we need is a weather event. We need to storm or something to move on this bloom. The rain and wind we're going to get this weekend, is that going to be of the scale required to potentially move this thing on or not.

Well, it's head to the Prime Industries Minister. Claire Scribven now a minister, good morning to you. Good mind read comments from Susan Close this morning. She said what we need is a weather event. We need to storm or something to move on this bloom. The rain and wind we're going to get this weekend, is that going to be of the scale required to potentially move this thing on or not.

Look at this stage, it's really hard to know. We know we need the westerly windsows as was mentioned by Michael Pingilly there, we need not to be having calm seas we need the opposite of that, and so it's a little unclear at this stage whether the weekend will be sufficient. We certainly hope that it will, but as with so many things when we're talking about the marine environment, the natural environment, we can't be sure. It's not something that we can control. But certainly having increased rain, having winds from the west, those are the things that will make the difference.

Look at this stage, it's really hard to know. We know we need the westerly windsows as was mentioned by Michael Pingilly there, we need not to be having calm seas we need the opposite of that, and so it's a little unclear at this stage whether the weekend will be sufficient. We certainly hope that it will, but as with so many things when we're talking about the marine environment, the natural environment, we can't be sure. It's not something that we can control. But certainly having increased rain, having winds from the west, those are the things that will make the difference.

Has it been possible to quantify, a minister, the extent of the damage that's.

Has it been possible to quantify, a minister, the extent of the damage that's.

Been done.

Been done.

In terms of marine life.

In terms of marine life.

Uman yea, a loss of life and so forth.

Uman yea, a loss of life and so forth.

Yeah, look, no, not so far. Obviously, people are seeing a lot of the dead marine life fish being washed up and so on, and that's really concerning for people. It's distressing for people. But in terms of quantifying it's very difficult because for some extent, when we're talking about, for example, the impact on commercial fisheries, it's the end of the season for a number of species, but not for all. And obviously, yes, at the risk ofstrating the obvious, you know, fish move around the ocean and so being able to identify exactly what the impact will be because of a fishkill event in a particular area is quite difficult.

Yeah, look, no, not so far. Obviously, people are seeing a lot of the dead marine life fish being washed up and so on, and that's really concerning for people. It's distressing for people. But in terms of quantifying it's very difficult because for some extent, when we're talking about, for example, the impact on commercial fisheries, it's the end of the season for a number of species, but not for all. And obviously, yes, at the risk ofstrating the obvious, you know, fish move around the ocean and so being able to identify exactly what the impact will be because of a fishkill event in a particular area is quite difficult.

Have your scientists been out a point to some sort of historical a precedent for this of something we can take lessons from. Has it happened anywhere else? Has it happened in South Australia before?

Have your scientists been out a point to some sort of historical a precedent for this of something we can take lessons from. Has it happened anywhere else? Has it happened in South Australia before?

Yeah, that's a really interesting question. The last time we had an alga bloom of the significant size in South Australia was I think for memory about twenty fourteen around Coffin Bay, so that's quite some time ago. Our good blooms do happen us where around the world. Usually they dissipate, often within a few weeks because of weather. But the relatively unusual weather that we're having here is the reason why it hasn't dissipated here and is continuing to grow. But they do, they do end up being moved on or disappearing because of weather events, and that's what we would look forward to here, I guess. On the other side, there's a lot of questions around, for example, the behavior of marine animals and whether that's being affected by the bloom, and because it is a relatively unusual event, we don't have specific and conclusive information about that. But this event that we're experiencing at the moment will mean that there is more information that can be drawn on for future research and insight.

Yeah, that's a really interesting question. The last time we had an alga bloom of the significant size in South Australia was I think for memory about twenty fourteen around Coffin Bay, so that's quite some time ago. Our good blooms do happen us where around the world. Usually they dissipate, often within a few weeks because of weather. But the relatively unusual weather that we're having here is the reason why it hasn't dissipated here and is continuing to grow. But they do, they do end up being moved on or disappearing because of weather events, and that's what we would look forward to here, I guess. On the other side, there's a lot of questions around, for example, the behavior of marine animals and whether that's being affected by the bloom, and because it is a relatively unusual event, we don't have specific and conclusive information about that. But this event that we're experiencing at the moment will mean that there is more information that can be drawn on for future research and insight.

Is the consensus Minister that the principal source of the bloom is water temperature.

Is the consensus Minister that the principal source of the bloom is water temperature.

Yes, so there's a water heat waves, essentially a marine heat wave, and the temperatures that have been around about two and a half degrees higher than usual. Now that probably doesn't sound like a lot, but because this is a marine environment, according to my advice, one could use an analogy. It's only an analogy, but it would be as though here on land we are experiencing fifty five degrees. So it's that kind of difference between what we will be expecting. And so that temperature is causing a lot of issues, and the alga bloom is one of the major ones.

Yes, so there's a water heat waves, essentially a marine heat wave, and the temperatures that have been around about two and a half degrees higher than usual. Now that probably doesn't sound like a lot, but because this is a marine environment, according to my advice, one could use an analogy. It's only an analogy, but it would be as though here on land we are experiencing fifty five degrees. So it's that kind of difference between what we will be expecting. And so that temperature is causing a lot of issues, and the alga bloom is one of the major ones.

What are the state government hearing from the major industries that are impacted by this? Have we got a sense about whether does this become catastrophic if it's here in a month, if it's two months, or you're already at a point where, like Michael Pingilli said, some of these fishing operations are in dire straits as a.

What are the state government hearing from the major industries that are impacted by this? Have we got a sense about whether does this become catastrophic if it's here in a month, if it's two months, or you're already at a point where, like Michael Pingilli said, some of these fishing operations are in dire straits as a.

Result of this.

Result of this.

So a lot really very very concerned and it does depend where the alga bloom moves and when. Obviously, if we do get those veins and those westerly winds and it dissipates. That's the best outcome for all concerned. But the various fishing sectors are very conscious of the potential impact. And what is happening is people are moving. Of course, they're fishing activities to areas where the algal bloom is not. And as I think one of very earlier callers mentioned, that does mean that for a couple of species they're actually having very very good takes. And they're still subject of course to quote auto maximum limits and that kind of thing, So it's not a matter of overfishing, but it means that in some of those areas where perhaps there is the clear water, they're getting a better take in a less period of time, whereas other areas perhaps the fish are not going to be there. And again, as coming about to your earlier question about being able to quantify the impact, it's too early to be able to do that at this stage.

So a lot really very very concerned and it does depend where the alga bloom moves and when. Obviously, if we do get those veins and those westerly winds and it dissipates. That's the best outcome for all concerned. But the various fishing sectors are very conscious of the potential impact. And what is happening is people are moving. Of course, they're fishing activities to areas where the algal bloom is not. And as I think one of very earlier callers mentioned, that does mean that for a couple of species they're actually having very very good takes. And they're still subject of course to quote auto maximum limits and that kind of thing, So it's not a matter of overfishing, but it means that in some of those areas where perhaps there is the clear water, they're getting a better take in a less period of time, whereas other areas perhaps the fish are not going to be there. And again, as coming about to your earlier question about being able to quantify the impact, it's too early to be able to do that at this stage.

So this might sound like a bit of a nutty professor sort of a question. Has anyone have you got a couple of people in the department who will looking at strategies to intervene in future al will bloom outbreaks and somehow break them up or is it one of those things where it's too big a task to fight nature and we've just got to wait for the weather to sort it out.

So this might sound like a bit of a nutty professor sort of a question. Has anyone have you got a couple of people in the department who will looking at strategies to intervene in future al will bloom outbreaks and somehow break them up or is it one of those things where it's too big a task to fight nature and we've just got to wait for the weather to sort it out.

Well, at this stage there's as far as I'm aware, there is no proposal that has is well considered I guess by scientists to be able to break up the blue There's no known way of doing that now. Of course, as people are experiencing this more and we are able to learn from it, perhaps there will be something that comes to light as a possible solution. But at this stage, from the evidence that we've seen, not just here in Australia but around the world, there's nothing that can be done other than waiting for the weather to change.

Well, at this stage there's as far as I'm aware, there is no proposal that has is well considered I guess by scientists to be able to break up the blue There's no known way of doing that now. Of course, as people are experiencing this more and we are able to learn from it, perhaps there will be something that comes to light as a possible solution. But at this stage, from the evidence that we've seen, not just here in Australia but around the world, there's nothing that can be done other than waiting for the weather to change.

Claise Griven, the Minister for Prime Industry, thanks very much for joining us for that chat.

Claise Griven, the Minister for Prime Industry, thanks very much for joining us for that chat.

Let's take a call Evans on the line.

Let's take a call Evans on the line.

Morning Kevin, Oh, good morning, Jens.

Morning Kevin, Oh, good morning, Jens.

How are you good? Thanks Kevin.

How are you good? Thanks Kevin.

I live at Port Broughton and we've got the exact same weather conditions on Spencer Gulf. Virtually no wind, still waters, warm waters and no algill bloom. I am just wondering whether there is something in the water because of a larger better poten area such as detergents and other chemicals which is feeding this algae. But the water should be tested in both gulfs and stuff.

I live at Port Broughton and we've got the exact same weather conditions on Spencer Gulf. Virtually no wind, still waters, warm waters and no algill bloom. I am just wondering whether there is something in the water because of a larger better poten area such as detergents and other chemicals which is feeding this algae. But the water should be tested in both gulfs and stuff.

There's a difference.

There's a difference.

Yeah, thank you, Kevin. Thanks Kevin.

Yeah, thank you, Kevin. Thanks Kevin.

They seem the site has seemed pretty sure as a result of the Yeah, the temperature here.

They seem the site has seemed pretty sure as a result of the Yeah, the temperature here.

And it does seem to be the contensus. And we still get texts about Chinese surveillance ships and the detail plant, but I don't think anyone's placing any truck in either of those theories, particularly the Chinese surveillance vessel.

And it does seem to be the contensus. And we still get texts about Chinese surveillance ships and the detail plant, but I don't think anyone's placing any truck in either of those theories, particularly the Chinese surveillance vessel.

It just sounds like weather. Yeah, it does, it asked

It just sounds like weather. Yeah, it does, it asked