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South Australia Declares Algal Bloom a Natural Disaster and Unveils A$28 Million Relief Package

The 4,500 km² bloom persists without any natural process to disperse it.

A toxic algal bloom washes dead and dying sea creatures between O'Sullivan Beach and Hallett Cove in Adelaide, Australia, on July 12. The algal bloom, first detected in March, spans an area 4,500 square kilometres in size and has been aggravated by rising ocean temperatures, environment officials say.
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Overview

  • The outbreak now spans roughly 4,500 km² off South Australia’s coast and has killed hundreds of marine species, with more than 13,850 carcasses recorded.
  • Premier Peter Malinauskas officially designated the bloom a natural disaster on July 15 and established a PIRSA taskforce to manage recovery operations.
  • On July 22 the state pledged A$12.5 million, matching the federal government’s A$14 million contribution for cleanup, research and business support.
  • Researchers trace the bloom’s unprecedented scale to a marine heatwave 2.5 °C above normal, nutrient influx from the 2022–23 Murray River floods and an extended Bonney Upwelling.
  • Experts warn the algal toxins can linger in sediments for years and caution that similar outbreaks may occur along Australia’s east coast under comparable ocean conditions.