{"id":74267,"date":"2025-08-17T04:33:24","date_gmt":"2025-08-17T04:33:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/74267\/"},"modified":"2025-08-17T04:33:24","modified_gmt":"2025-08-17T04:33:24","slug":"disasters-like-sas-algal-bloom-cut-us-off-from-nature-when-we-need-it-most","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/74267\/","title":{"rendered":"disasters like SA\u2019s algal bloom cut us off from nature when we need it most"},"content":{"rendered":"

In March 2025, surfers and swimmers were the first to notice the harmful algal bloom taking hold in South Australian waters. People catching waves at a popular break on the Fleurieu Peninsula later reported feeling sick<\/a> with flu-like symptoms. <\/p>\n

Over the five months since, an \u201cunprecedented\u201d environmental disaster has unfolded, devastating marine ecosystems and the South Australian economy. It has also fundamentally changed the way people connect to the ocean. <\/p>\n

This particular bloom \u2013 caused by Karenia mikimotoi<\/a> \u2013 is deadly to various marine species, while in humans it can cause milder illness and irritation. <\/p>\n

But the impact on mental health and wellbeing is profound. <\/p>\n

When people can no longer use \u201cblue spaces\u201d such as the ocean to surf, swim, fish and walk on the beach, they are losing activities that calm and relax them \u2013 exactly when they\u2019re most sick with worry about their beloved coastline. <\/p>\n

A perfect storm<\/p>\n

South Australia\u2019s algal bloom is the result of a \u201cperfect storm<\/a>\u201d \u2013 a marine heatwave, nutrient rich water from previous flooding, and a rare cold-water upwelling. <\/p>\n

Current public health advice tells<\/a> surfers and swimmers to stay out of water if it looks \u201cdiscoloured, foamy, or where there\u2019s dead marine life\u201d.<\/p>\n

Given that dead marine life is washing up across many South Australian beaches, this means it\u2019s hard to find any place to surf or swim. <\/p>\n

Recreational fishers are advised that catching fish (and other marine species) is safe<\/a> if it\u2019s cleaned thoroughly before eating. But many are not throwing their lines in due to concerns about depleting the surviving marine life.<\/p>\n

Blue spaces and health<\/p>\n

Activities such as swimming, surfing and fishing are not only enjoyable, they have a range of health benefits. <\/p>\n

There is mounting empirical evidence<\/a> about the range of benefits from spending time in \u201cgreen spaces\u201d, such as parks and bushland.<\/p>\n

In 2020, a review<\/a> of evidence about \u201cblue spaces\u201d \u2013 meaning oceans, rivers and lakes \u2013 found similar benefits.<\/p>\n

For example, swimming outdoors in nature \u2013 sometimes known as \u201cwild swimming\u201d \u2013 can reduce fatigue and improve mental health. There is also early evidence that it can promote immune functioning.<\/p>\n

Surfing also has<\/a> physical and mental health benefits, and increases community connections. One study of recreational fishers<\/a> found three in four (75.5%) fish for stress relief. <\/p>\n

But these are benefits people in areas affected by the algal bloom are no longer getting. <\/p>\n

Grief and anxiety<\/p>\n

The algal bloom means people can\u2019t access blue spaces and their health benefits. In fact, the devastation can mean engaging with blue spaces actually makes people\u2019s mental health worse, through worry and grief about the environment. <\/p>\n

Eco-anxiety describes<\/a> the extreme fear, worry, sadness or a generally heightened emotional state we may feel in response to changes in the climate or environment. When people experience grief and other negative emotions about changes to a place they love, this is sometimes called \u201csolastalgia<\/a>\u201d. <\/p>\n

Both eco-anxiety and solastalgia can be responses to global changes, such as warming temperatures and rising sea levels. But they are felt most acutely among those affected directly by a disaster.<\/p>\n

Research after Australia\u2019s 2019\u201320 bushfires<\/a> found high levels of eco-anxiety and solastalgia among those who survived, with the environment becoming a source of pain and grief.<\/p>\n

Given this harmful algal bloom is being referred to as an \u201cunderwater bushfire<\/a>\u201d, it is unsurprising we are seeing people describe similar concern, worry, sadness and loss. <\/p>\n

I am part of a team from the University of South Australia currently researching this impact, by surveying people who live near and use the beach to better understand their experience.<\/p>\n

Are there any silver linings?<\/p>\n

Grief about the destruction of a place we love is the sign of how much we care about it \u2013 and this can be galvanising.<\/p>\n

Research shows eco-anxiety can be a form of practical anxiety<\/a>. This means unlike other forms of worry it is more likely to also drive behaviour change. <\/p>\n

We are already seeing this in South Australia. Over 12,000 recordings<\/a> on iNaturalist \u2013 a website where members of the community upload photos and help identify species \u2013 provide shocking visual evidence of the loss and devastation. <\/p>\n

Distressed beachgoers who are participating in citizen science programs<\/a> such as these help keep the spotlight on the disaster, as well as rescuing stranded sea animals and protesting for action from government and industry<\/a>. <\/p>\n

Amid the grief, it\u2019s important to try and still maintain our connection to our environment. When we can\u2019t spend time in our usual natural spots, we can still benefit from connecting with nature<\/a> beyond blue spaces \u2013 even if it\u2019s simply visiting a park or planting something new.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"In March 2025, surfers and swimmers were the first to notice the harmful algal bloom taking hold in…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":74268,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[22],"tags":[64,63,75,128],"class_list":["post-74267","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-environment","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-environment","tag-science"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/74267","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=74267"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/74267\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/74268"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=74267"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=74267"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=74267"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}