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🇦🇺 Australia /Economy & Trade

Oyster Growers Face 'Death by a Thousand Cuts' as Harvest Areas Close Again

From ABC Australia · (6m ago) English Critical tone

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

TLDR

  • Two oyster-growing areas on South Australia's Yorke Peninsula, Stansbury and Coobowie, have been closed due to the detection of micro-algal species unrelated to the recent harmful algal bloom.
  • These species, Prorocentrum and Dinophysis, have historically impacted oyster production in the region for at least 20 years, but their increased detection this year may be indirectly linked to ecosystem changes caused by the bloom.
  • Oyster growers, like Steve Bowley, are facing repeated closures, describing the situation as 'death by a thousand cuts' and expressing concern over the long-term health of the marine environment.

South Australian oyster growers are once again facing significant disruption, with two key harvesting areas on the Yorke Peninsula – Stansbury and Coobowie – being closed due to the detection of specific micro-algal species. While these species, Prorocentrum and Dinophysis, are not new to the region and have historically affected oyster production, their increased prevalence this year is a cause for serious concern among growers and scientists alike.

These species are a feature of South Australia's marine ecosystem, and have impacted commercial oyster productions around South Australia for at least 20 years

— Mike SteerThe SARDI executive director explained the historical presence of the micro-algal species in the region.

Dr. Mike Steer, executive director of the South Australian Research and Development Institute (SARDI), clarified that these detections are separate from the devastating harmful algal bloom (HAB) that has impacted the Gulf St Vincent. However, he acknowledged a potential indirect link, suggesting that the wider environmental damage caused by the HAB could be altering the marine ecosystem, making it more susceptible to these opportunistic micro-algae.

[It] could have an indirect relationship on the basis of the changing ecosystem. What we have most definitely seen this year, particularly in Gulf St Vincent, is considerable devastation of our marine ecosystem as a result of the harmful algal bloom.

— Mike SteerSteer suggested a possible indirect link between the harmful algal bloom and the increased detection of the micro-algal species.

For growers like Steve Bowley, this situation represents a compounding crisis. Having already faced closures earlier in the year, the prospect of another fortnight-long shutdown is financially crippling. Bowley's poignant description of the situation as 'death by a thousand cuts' encapsulates the cumulative impact of these repeated setbacks. His concern extends beyond immediate financial losses to the fundamental health of the marine environment, which he believes is 'broken' due to the cascading effects of the algal bloom and subsequent micro-algal blooms. This perspective, deeply rooted in the local community's reliance on the marine ecosystem, highlights a stark contrast to how such events might be perceived internationally, where the focus might be on scientific data rather than the lived experience of those whose livelihoods depend directly on the sea's health.

I understand that this particular phytoplankton is in the environment all the time, [but] there seems to be a bit of a run on it at the minute.

— Steve BowleyOyster grower Steve Bowley described the current situation with the micro-algal species.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by ABC Australia in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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