Yumbah Aquaculture Shuts Down Abalone Farm

0:00It's March 24th, this is Adelaide News today, AI-powered stories from your city. Yumba Aquaculture, Australia's biggest shellfish producer, is shutting down its abalone farm on kangaroo island Smith Bay. The closure comes after a harmful algal bloom hit hard, making operations too costly to continue. The farm normally produced around 175 tons of abalone each year. The bloom first struck in mid-2025, slowing growth and causing some deaths. In stronger waves came in November and December, wiping out stressed stock. Combined with tough global markets, especially lower prices in China, the company decided it could not restock or keep going. This means job losses for 15 full-time workers and up to 30 during peak seasons. The firm plans to support staff through a 12-week destocking phase, guaranteeing pay during that time. Other effects include a debt-squid fishery and restrictions on other catches like whiting until June 30th, 2026.

1:02Local leaders want the site repurposed, maybe as a research hub for algal blooms or a marine campus. The state government is meeting with Yumba soon to explore options and has pledged over $160 million in aid for affected fisheries. Yumba will keep running other farms for kingfish, mussels, abalone and oysters across South Australia and beyond, aiming to whether these challenges.