The current harmful algal bloom in South Australia is unprecedented in scale, duration, and impact. It has caused destruction that’s been described as analogous to an “underwater bushfire”. The scale of marine death has been estimated as likely to be equivalent to the wildlife deaths from the Black Summer bushfires of 2019-20, and it’s likely to regularly recur.

The algal bloom has been documented as having current direct and indirect health consequences both acute and chronic. These include mental health concerns for people exposed to dead marine life, and an inability to use the marine environment for play or work. Furthermore, there’s the lost income for business which rely on the oceans, such as fishing, tourism, and exercise.

We know eco-anxiety from climate change is an emerging health problem, and preliminary research suggests it’s the same for the algal bloom. This issue is closely aligned with the Healthy Environments for Healthy People priority area in the draft State Public Health Plan. We need a One Health approach that recognises that human health and the environment is intrinsically linked.

We call on the South Australian Government to invest in research to better understand the long-term health and wellbeing impacts of the harmful algal bloom crisis. This will strengthen South Australia’s capacity to anticipate, monitor, and respond to future ecosystem threats through coordinated, evidence-driven action.