South Australian fishers are grappling with a severe economic downturn as the state’s toxic algal bloom threatens the local seafood industry. 

Declining sales, fuelled by consumer concerns over contamination, have prompted calls for the algal bloom to be declared a national disaster by the federal government.

Rod Ness, a commercial fisherman in Victor Harbor for three decades, expressed deep concern about the devastation facing the industry. 

“It’s a massive part of the foundation of the state. And it’s being ripped to pieces,” Ness said.

The crisis was a central topic at an urgent meeting hosted by the state government. 

“The public is scared of… eating fish. And our sales at our fresh fish shop have dropped 70 per cent in the last three weeks,” Ness said. 

The algal bloom, which has been spreading for months, is showing no signs of abating. 

“Now that it’s here, it’s going to be hard to get rid of,” Ness said. 

“And while we’ve seen a lot of weather changes, a lot of that has just pushed the bloom around, instead of getting rid of it.”

There are reports scientists wrote to the federal government seeking funding to deal with the worsening problem but were knocked back.

“If we had dead fish and marine life washing up day after day on Bondi Beach or on the North Shore of Sydney, there’d be a national outcry,” Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young said.

The federal government has so far resisted calls to declare the situation a national disaster.

“Well I’d have to look at the request because it hasn’t come to me but we’ll obviously work with governments across the board increasingly to deal with the impacts of climate change,” Climate Change Minister Chris Bowen said.

The state government says it may increase pressure on the Commonwealth to reconsider its position if the bloom continues to spread. 

Ness voiced his frustration with the federal response. 

“I’m questioning them not jumping at the chance to call it a national disaster,” he said. 

“I know a lot of fishermen from a lot of various areas that are very stressed out and doing it pretty hard.”