It’s been one year since dead fish began washing up on South Australian beaches, as the largest algal bloom in Australia’s history spread along the coast.

Marine ecologist Dr Scott Bennett was part of the team that first surveyed the bloom – coming face to face with the algae’s devastating impact.

Twelve months on, the bloom is still there, the damage has spread, and many of the warnings scientists issued in those early days have proved well-founded – particularly the damage to marine life.

Today, we’re bringing you an episode from 2025 with Bennett, about what caused the bloom, what he saw beneath the surface, and what it means for the fate of the ocean.

This episode first aired in August 2025.

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