Harmful Algal Bloom and Human Wellbeing Impact

Image: Susanne Tegen (Croakey Health Media)

The harmful algal bloom (HAB) affecting our coastal waters in recent months is more than an environmental problem, it’s a public health, economic, and community wellbeing crisis. Its effects are rippling through coastal communities, disrupting livelihoods in fisheries, aquaculture, and tourism while posing direct threats to physical health, from respiratory irritation to eye and skin discomfort.

The psychological toll is equally concerning, with rising cases of eco-anxiety and solastalgia as people grapple with the loss of environmental stability in the places they call home. Environment Institute members warn that these issues are deeply interconnected and driven by broader climate change, underscoring the urgent need for comprehensive, evidence-based responses that protect health, support local economies, and strengthen community resilience.

Speaking to Croakey Health Media, Carmel Williams, in a joint statement with Professor Craig Williams, discusses the mental health implications through eco-anxiety, this is when individuals become anxious about their future due to climate change. Solastalgia refers to the emotional distress people feel when environmental changes negatively affect the places they call home, even while they are still living there and deeply connected to those environments.

The HAB is also likely to cause negative effects for people who use coastal environments for leisure or exercise, further impacting individuals’ physical health, they both say.

“Impacts on fisheries may be acute through inability to take catch, and chronic through disturbances to trophic webs [food webs]. It is unclear just what impacts mass mortality to different components of the trophic webs supporting fisheries will have on global nutrition. This is a massive, massive concern."

“Developing decision support systems to inform responses is required. Specifically, how would communities respond to such things in a way that is organised, evidence-based, and coherent with existing policy? There is a lot of work to be done in this space,” they add.

Professor Phillip Weinstein shared with The Advertiser that those who have pre-existing respiratory conditions are at the most risk, predominantly asthmatics, as an irritant like the HAB can trigger an asthma attack. This is because the HAB releases reactive oxygen species that are unstable oxygen molecules acting as irritants, explains Professor Weinstein.

“They can affect the mucosal membranes, chiefly, the eyes, the skin, and the lungs if inhaled.”

“It’s like inhaling any irritant like solvent fumes or barbecue smoke,” he said. “Once you remove yourself from the area, it usually settles quickly.”

Future Making Fellow Dr Dom McAfee described the challenges facing the oyster farmers as “heartbreaking.”

“They have reported sore eyes and throats while working at sea. But I think the emotional toll, and economic impact is what would hurt the most.”

“They cannot sell their oysters, but must manage their stock daily in the sea, keeping their oysters alive, which is hard work during good times.”

Future Making Fellow Dr Ania Kotarba-Morley says the economic stress can "ripple through entire communities," particularly for oyster farmers, fisheries, and those in tourism. In order to help restore and repair the damage that has happened, Dr McAfee suggested that community-based projects will be fundamental to healing the human–nature aspect of the algal bloom.

Disasters can be "deeply destabilising" for those, particularly, living in coastal communities, and individuals whose identities are "deeply connected to the marine environment," describes Dr Kotarba-Morley. It generates a helplessness and powers a frustration, especially in issues that are viewed as preventable

“This can strain, often already low, trust in institutions and between community members themselves – especially where there are competing views on how to respond.”

“We’ve seen communities come together to monitor water quality, advocate for policy changes and participate in restoration projects.”

Shared efforts such as these can strengthen social bonds and enhance resilience – but “only when there’s appropriate support, communication and investment in long-term recovery.”

Harmful Algal Bloom Capability Statement

Read our other blogs on HAB

• An 'Underwater Bushfire' Sparks Urgent Calls Urgent Calls for Action in South Australia
• How South Australia's Algal Bloom Is Threatening Marine Life and Public Health

Media Items

• Croakey Health Media Release
• The Advertiser