South Australia’s premier has questioned the use of the word “toxic” to describe the state’s ongoing algal bloom, despite the word being used in government advice and by scientists researching it.<\/p>\n
“A lot of people refer to the algal bloom as the ‘toxic algal bloom’ \u2014 it’s not toxic,” Peter Malinauskas told ABC Radio Adelaide.<\/p>\n
“If you went into the water and you encountered the algal bloom, you’re not going to have any sort of severe, lasting health impacts \u2014 at worst, you’ll have an irritation.”<\/p>\n
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SA Premier Peter Malinauskas has backed away from the term “toxic” in the context of the bloom. (ABC News: Lincoln Rothall)<\/p>\n
When ABC Radio Adelaide’s Jules Schiller pointed out that “we’re seeing dead fish, though, we’re seeing dead fish and penguins and turtles \u2014 I mean it’s toxic to them”, Mr Malinauskas responded: “No it’s not, Jules”.<\/p>\n
“It’s beyond heartbreaking to see the marine life that is dying and I’ve seen plenty of it first-hand myself,” Mr Malinauskas said.<\/p>\n
“But they’re not dying because they’re ‘intoxicated’, so to speak \u2014 they’re dying because they’re suffocating, which is even worse in many respects.”<\/p>\n
Specimens from more than 500 species of creature have been killed by the bloom. (ABC News: Che Chorley)<\/p>\n
Estuarine ecologist Faith Coleman, who has been researching the bloom since its outbreak in March, said the algae was indisputably toxic because it was killing fish.<\/p>\n
“I suspect that his own government website says that it is toxic to fish, and I suspect there’s a lot of PR around maintaining our aquaculture industries, which is incredibly important, keeping in mind that the fish that we sell are all entirely safe,” she said.<\/p>\n
“But it’s really important that we don’t confuse the science in our effort to do that.<\/p>\n
“We’re getting a lot of mixed messages throughout this bloom \u2014 and we know that it is toxic to fish because they’re dying.”<\/p>\n
A sign at Somerton along Adelaide’s coast advising beachgoers amid the bloom. (ABC News: Isabel Dayman)<\/p>\n
The premier’s website states that while not toxic to humans, Karenia mikimotoi “is toxic to fish and invertebrates and can cause general allergic-type responses in humans”.<\/p>\n
The SA Health website corroborates that statement, and states that the “type of algae is the Karenia species, which is toxic to some fish and marine animals but only an irritant to humans”.<\/p>\n
It also pointed out that brevetoxins separate from Karenia mikimotoi have also been detected within the bloom, and that they are “neurotoxic shellfish poisons” that can cause symptoms including “vomiting, diarrhoea, stomach cramps, headaches and fatigue” if ingested by humans.<\/p>\n