Struggling SA fishing industry wins multimillion-dollar algal funding boost
Fishers – many struggling to catch squid or fish as the impact of the toxic algal bloom devastate their businesses – are winning new funding in the latest Summer Plan announcement from the State Government. The Premier announcing much of the bloom has cleared up.
Another $16 million in support for South Australia’s fishing and marine sector has been announced as part of the state’s plan to tackle the impacts of the algal bloom.
The support included additional grants totalling up to $275,000 per eligible business as part of a state and federal government $102.5 million Algal Bloom Summer Plan.
It included extending Industry Support Grants where eligible businesses that had already received a grant could apply for a second if they could show they had a further, separate three months of downturn.
This includes grants of up to $10,000 for small businesses or up to $100,000 for fisheries and aquaculture licence holders who have been unable to catch or harvest their usual catch.
An additional up to $25,000 for hardest hit fisheries and aquaculture licence holders to support their workers.
“If we want our marine environment to recover from the bloom, then we actually have to invest in what will help facilitate that, and that is what represents a significant chunk of the funding that we’re announcing today,” Premier Peter Malinauskas told ABC radio this morning.
He said the bloom had cleared at a number of locations including the Southern Fleurieu, Victor Harbor, Middleton, Gawler, Port Elliot, Waitpinga, Kangaroo Island, the west coast of Yorke Peninsula and “most” of the Eyre Peninsula.
It was “lingering” at the east coast of the Yorke Peninsula and the eastern side of the Eyre Peninsula.
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“We’re preparing for the worst but we’re hoping for the best,” he said.
“Much of it’s cleared up, but over the summer we hope it continues in the trajectory that we’ve seen more recently.”
David Wood, the CEO of Yumbah Aquaculture which earlier this year said the financial impact of the algal bloom on its fishing business was about $5 million, told InDaily that he welcomed the new financial support.
“It’s another positive step of government acknowledging the challenge of the algal bloom. Any support is certainty appreciated,” he said.
Yumbah – which acquired fellow SA-based aquaculture company Clean Seas for $30 million recently – is a major producer of shellfish, oysters, mussels, aquafeed and oyster spat.
Wood said mussel operations had reopened and “we’ve seen good market recovery post that closure”.
“We’re learning to adapt and recognise the risks, so for us our approach is now much more about building in longer term climate resilience into the business,” he said.
“We’re certainly keen to continue to engage with state and federal government about how we get a good co-investment model for building resilience within industry.
“It really highlights that we are dealing with a new risk paradigm in the industry.”
He said he was working with the state government to learn from what it has done with technologies like the bubble curtain for the giant cuttlefish population near Whyalla: “can we apply that same technology to our marine operations?”.
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“We’re looking at what sort of investment would be required to increase the potential for recirculating aquaculture systems at our hatchery and nursery environments to better mitigate the risk,” he said.
“It is about recognising that the environment is changing and you need to adapt with it. That is going to require investment to do that.”
The closing date for applications for both the Small Business Support Grant and the Fisheries and Aquaculture Assistance Grant has been extended from 30 November 2025 to 31 March 2026.
Another $3.5 million under the Industry Response and Resilience Program included grants of up to $150,000 for commercial fisheries and aquaculture licence holders to invest in projects that build business resilience, take advantage of new opportunities and help protect jobs.
While there was $4.5 million in licence fee relief for the fishing and aquaculture sectors has been extended until at least June 30, 2026.
This included:
- PIRSA Fisheries and Aquaculture annual licence fees
- Biosecurity SA Food Safety Scheme and audit fees
- Aquaculture lease and licence fees
- Fishery quota and licence transaction fees
Applications for the Industry Support Grants open on Wednesday, October 15, the Industry Response and Resilience Program will open on Monday, October 20 and Licence Fee Relief will be applied automatically.
Hardest hit fisheries and aquaculture licence holders could be eligible for up to $275,000 in support through the combination of $125,000 of industry support grants and $150,000 in the Industry Response and Resilience Program.
In addition, the State Government will support a new, dedicated research and development program to investigate possible remediation and mitigation measures that could be used by aquaculture and fisheries businesses to reduce impacts on their businesses in the future.
“Through our industry support measures, we’re backing our fishers and small business impacted by the algal bloom with the help they need now, while building the long-term resilience they’ll need for the future,” Premier Peter Malinauskas said.
While federal Environment Minister Murray Watt said the governments were recognising how important these industries were for the economy along with the “character and culture of South Australia’s coast”.
On Monday, state and federal ministers lined up at Henley Beach to announce a new $15 million Coast is Calling – Dining Cashback program to boost numbers at beachside dining businesses suffering customer losses as locals avoid regions struck with the harmful algal bloom.
While it dripped out other announcements over the weekend including a new Surf Life Saving’ Beachsafe app – backed by record Surf Life Saving beach patrols – giving South Australians daily reports on algal bloom conditions at popular beaches.
Opposition Leader Vincent Tarzia told the ABC that he was “still calling for things like to consult with industry for voluntary buybacks”.
“There are several industry groups that are still struggling. They haven’t caught fish for several weeks, sometimes even months.
“Of course, we also want to see a Royal Commission into this, so we want to make sure that we get to the bottom of exactly what is causing it to make sure we’re more resilient next time.”
