A 90-day swimming ban will apply to part of the Spencer Gulf, off the coast of Whyalla from July 1. (Getty/John White)More
Swimming will be banned along a famous stretch of beach from Wednesday to help protect a marine creature that has almost vanished from local waters.
The 90-day exclusion will restrict all recreational activities across part of South Australia’s Upper Spencer Gulf Marine Park, the world’s only breeding ground for giant cuttlefish.
The announcement was made by the state’s tourism and environment minister, Emily Bourke, who said the government was doing “everything possible” to protect what remains of the population.
Last year, around 64,000 giant cuttlefish were recorded off the coast of Whyalla, but this year only a few dozen have been seen.
“This temporary closure is in the best interests of safeguarding these amazing creatures and giving them the best opportunity to breed and thrive at a time when numbers are considerably lower than previous years,” Bourke said.
Where the swimming ban applies
The decision will see all recreational activities, including swimming, snorkelling, diving, and boat anchoring, banned between Black Point and Stony Point to help protect eggs and hatchlings.
Fishing had already been banned in the marine park’s sanctuary zone for a decade.
And since November, fines of up to $20,000 have applied to anyone taking a giant cuttlefish in South Australian waters.
Why local tourism operators support the ban
The new protections have the support of local tourism operators, including Manny Katz, the owner of Whyalla Dive Shop, who told Yahoo News it was “the right decision”.
“Regarding the temporary protections, I feel optimistic about them,” he said.
“And from a global perspective, South Australia is demonstrating it’s taking climate change seriously.”
The decline in giant cuttlefish numbers has been linked to the catastrophic algal bloom that began in March last year.
Climate change is believed to have created a perfect storm of conditions that turned the waters off South Australia green and led to the deaths of more than 90,000 marine creatures, from 390 species.
Since surveys began in 1998, numbers have fluctuated from 13,500 in 2013 to 247,000 in 2020, but they have never been this low.
Ordinarily, the spectacle of giant cuttlefish attracts millions of tourism dollars, but this year many holidaymakers have cancelled their trips.
Business owners affected by the decision will be able to apply for government grants designed to help those affected by the algal bloom.
Steve Storic, the owner of Spencer Gulf Adventures, remains hopeful that the population will recover.
“We support measures that give these remarkable animals the best opportunity to breed successfully and ensure this world-class wildlife experience continues for generations to come,” he said.
# Yahoo
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