South Australia reveals $102.5m Summer Plan to protect coastal communities amid rolling algal bloom crisis

Full details of South Australia’s highly anticipated algal bloom “Summer Plan” have been revealed; More than $100 million has been allocated to a range of support measures to protect the state’s battered coastal communities from the ongoing crisis.

The plan includes several packages to stimulate travel demand, support businesses damaged by the poisonous bloom, and expand research and restoration efforts.

The eruption, first detected in March, killed an estimated 13,000 marine species and crushed the state’s lucrative seafood and tourism industries as seafood catches plummeted and visitors to coastal towns dwindled.

Approximately 30 per cent of South Australia’s coastline was affected.

A significant portion of the plan, funded by the state and federal governments, includes spending $48 million to support coastal communities.

Support measures include travel vouchers worth between $100 and $500, grants of up to $10,000 for small businesses and $100,000 for fishing and aquaculture license holders, extension of license fee relief, grants of up to $20,000 to help promote events in coastal communities, and a new “The Coast is Calling” tourism advertising campaign.

On Monday, the government announced a $15 million meal rebate program to help cover meals at eligible establishments along the coast.

Open to South Australians, the program will distribute $60,000 in $50 vouchers via public vote each month from November.

In addition to support measures, the plan allocates $20.6 million to initiate a targeted breeding, conservation, and fish stocking program for vulnerable and threatened species impacted by the restoration and bloom of large-scale native oyster reefs, community shellfish reefs, seagrass meadows, and blue carbon.

A further $17.3 million will go towards a range of research initiatives, including a new $3.2 million South Australia-based office for algal bloom research.

The plan also invests $16 million to help South Australians enjoy the summer months.

Measures include a new Beachsafe app that will provide up-to-date information for 23 locations, daily beach cleaning in metro Adelaide and the southern beaches, free access to coastal parks and mental health support programmes.

“Restoring seagrass and native oyster reefs and the other efforts included in this plan put us on the fastest path to recovery,” South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas said in a statement on Tuesday.

“This is also a comprehensive plan to support coastal businesses and communities and enable South Australians to enjoy their summer.

“Together with the Commonwealth, we are using all the tools available to governments to help the state respond to algal blooms. We have also engaged in significant consultation with experts, industry and the wider community.”

Federal Environment Minister Murray Watt said he would continue to work closely with Mr Malinauskas to “deliver what is necessary”.

“We are funding science and environmental measures to help marine life recover and ensure South Australia remains at the forefront of our nation’s algal bloom research,” he said.

South Australia is struggling to manage the effects of the bloom with no clear end in sight.

Marine biologist Shauna Murray said scientists and government officials are still largely in the dark about the root causes of the bloom and how it can develop and change the environment.

“We’re dealing with something really difficult,” he told NewsWire last month.

“If you imagine when Covid first started and a tremendous amount of science was needed to figure out what was going on, we are in a similar situation with this development.

“It’s not something that’s really known elsewhere that we don’t know about. It’s new.”