Michelle Daw, Yorke Peninsula Country Times

Commercial fishers are calling for the South Australian Government to waive licence and quota fees as they continue to struggle with low catches amid the devastating impact of the prolonged toxic algal bloom on marine life.

The Marine Fishers Association has written to Primary Industries and Regional Development Minister Clare Scriven requesting fees be waived until licence holders can catch fish again after the algal bloom disperses.

Minister Scriven said the SA Government was working with the MFA and the SA Professional Fishers Association to determine which licence holders had been impacted by the algal bloom, the extent of the impact and the support needed.

“This work is progressing as we speak, and support will be provided as appropriate to those impacted,” she said.

Support measures already available for affected fishing and aquaculture licence holders include a rural support grant of up to $1500 for essential household expenses, Rural Business Services financial counselling, and business and wellbeing advice from the Family and Business Support program.

Marine Fishers Association chief executive Pat Tripodi said abalone fishers in the state’s southeast have had their licence fees fully waived for 2024-26 after the outbreak of Abalone Viral Ganglioneuritis.

“We view the harmful algal bloom as a similar circumstance, although this is impacting a larger number of fishing licences as well as the aquaculture industry, and is affecting multiple species — almost entire ecosystems — not just a single species,” he said.

“The harmful algal bloom is absolutely devastating my members.

“It has had a severe and ongoing impact on commercial fishers, particularly those based on Kangaroo Island and Yorke Peninsula, as well as the aquaculture industry.”

Mr Tripodi said, for many, the situation was dire — income had dropped to zero over the past two months due to impact of the HAB, with no alternative sources of revenue available.

“What we need is support for the industry that supplies fresh fish to consumers and a monitoring program to measure the impact of the HAB and a plan for recovery,” he said.

“With the few (weather) fronts that have come through over the past month, it has only served to impact more of the state and more fishers.

“I think the government is beginning to wake up to the fact that a stiff breeze isn’t going to fix the problem.”

Mr Tripodi said the MFA had also asked Minister Scriven to lobby the Australian Government to make fishers eligible for the Farm Household Allowance, a payment available to drought-affected farmers. 

This article appeared in Yorke Peninsula Country Times, 8 July 2025.