The governments of South Australia and Australia have collectively endorsed a 2.5 million initiative aimed at combating algal blooms, with the objective of aiding affected businesses and communities, as well as allowing residents to enjoy their summer activities.

Premier Peter Malinauskas and federal Environment Minister Murray Watt spelled out the details of the funding today, saying it is “what’s needed” to tackle the ongoing environmental crisis playing out along the state’s coastline.

“We can’t make the algal bloom go away,” Malinauskas said.

“There is no silver bullet solution here, but what we can do is respond as best as we are capable of.”

About $48 million of the funding will go to businesses and communities, including $50 dining cashbacks for meals at coastal restaurants and bars, $100 to $500 travel vouchers for coastal experiences and stays, a coastal tourism advertising campaign, and industry grants of up to $150,000.

Another $37.9 million will support efforts to restore the environment and advance research, including $20.6 million for reef and seagrass restoration and breeding threatened and vulnerable marine species and $17.3 million for water monitoring and forecasting, water analysis, an office for algal bloom research, mitigation, and AI submersible cytobots (an automated underwater microscope) to understand phytoplankton.

Malinauskas said science and research were the “best thing we can invest in”.

“Science and research is what will best inform good public policy-making when we contemplate the harmful algal bloom,” he said.

“Not conspiracy theories on social media, but good, thoughtful science is the best thing we can invest in.”

The remaining $16 million will help South Australians enjoy their summer, including beach patrols every day at popular beaches, a Beachsafe app that provides information at 23 locations, daily beach clean-ups, and grants for aquatic-based sporting clubs.

“South Australians have a strong connection to their coast, and this summer plan will back locals and encourage them to get out and about in the warmer weather,” Watt said.

A marine heatwave late last year is believed to have caused the ongoing and devastating algal bloom, which broke out in March.

It has killed hundreds of marine species and cannot be diluted or dissipated.

The federal government has been accused of being slow to act on the algal bloom and criticised for failing to label it as a natural disaster, which Prime Minister Anthony Albanese rebuffed as “nonsense” in August.