South Australia's Algal Bloom Devastates Fisheries

0:00It's April 2, I'm Cory with the story, and this is Sydney News today, local news powered by AI. South Australia's commercial fishers are sounding the alarm over an algal bloom that's hammered fish stocks in the state's two big gulfs, St. Vincent and Spencer. Normally, Easter brings a rush of demand for fresh seafood, but this year catches our way down, with squid, crabs, and other species nearly wiped. Out. Fishers are pushing hard for indefinite closures to give the fisheries a real shot at recovery. Gulfs and Vincent shut down to commercial fishing back in November, and while it's slated to reopen in July, local say that's way too soon. Some species like blue crabs and garfish show tiny signs of bouncing back, but squid and bottom dwellers are still barren. Over in Spencer Gulf, Kalamari halls have dropped to less than 5% of last year's levels in recent months. Fishers like Barb Buttson, whose family has worked these waters for three generations, are only boating out for government stock checks now.

1:03Guys like Michael Pennington and David Beckin are furious about a perceived double standard, where recreational fishers keep grabbing small squid that could be key to rebuilding stocks. Many are traveling hundreds of kilometers just to make a living, and some fear they'll never fish here commercially again. The government has stepped in with support, including license fee relief in a $500,000 package, plus grants up to $100, $50,000 for resilience projects, and $350,000 for the hardest hit. Officials with the Department of Primary Industries and Regions are ramping up monitoring and weighing science-based restrictions for both commercial and recreational sectors. Prices have nearly doubled at market, hitting consumers hard, and fishers worn that rushing back in could add years to recovery, maybe a decade for. Squid The call is clear, in spots this low, best to leave the fish alone and let nature rebuild.