Algal Bloom

Mr BASHAM (Finniss) (17:07): My question is to the Minister for Climate, Environment and Water. In relation to the algal bloom, what date did the government first receive reports of dead fish and what immediate action was taken?

The Hon. S.E. CLOSE (Port Adelaide—Deputy Premier, Minister for Climate, Environment and Water, Minister for Industry, Innovation and Science, Minister for Workforce and Population Strategy) (17:08): The dates for the beginning of the bloom, the first reports were really around 17 March down on the south coast, in the member's electorate, where there was the appearance of not only foam on the beach itself and in the water, the reactions that some surfers had had but also the beginnings of some dead sea life, so it has been for a significant period of time.

There were also occasional reports of dead animal life that wasn't what we would think of as sea life, so birds and there were some kangaroos that died down in the member's area. There was some concern that perhaps they were associated with the algal bloom.

So, really from the 17^th or so of March since this bloom first started, both PIRSA and the environment department have been testing animals that have washed up, as well as testing water, as well as increasingly of course monitoring by the use of satellites the progress of this bloom.

When it comes to, say, a marine mammal like a dolphin that might be washed up—as does happen from time to time in any case—when the animal is fresh enough, that animal is taken for a necropsy, as a non-human autopsy is called, for an assessment of what may have caused the death, if it is possible to determine it, and also whether there are any toxins associated with that animal. That has also taken place for some of the fish life that has washed up in order to determine what the impacts of the bloom have been, paired with constant water testing to see what species is in the bloom also.

That has been the way in which they have been able to determine that Karenia mikimotoi was the dominant species in the bloom, one that is toxic and lethal to fish and sea life generally—anything with gills, anything attempting to breathe under the water—but not toxic to mammals, humans or bird life. So that is the action that has been taken by the very diligent public servants and scientists with the government who have been undertaking that assessment ever since the bloom showed up.