Giant cuttlefish numbers declined by almost 100pc this year, PIRSA says

The annual gathering near Whyalla is one of the only known mass-breeding aggregations of its kind.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-08-21/giant-cuttlefish-sa-spencer-gulf-pirsa-count-decline/107062048


Research confirms that desalination brine discharge is detrimental to the giant Australian cuttlefish (Sepia apama), causing embryo mortality and developmental issues due to increased salinity and heavy metals.  While some studies and reports link desalination plant operations (such as dispersion jets) to the mobilization of toxic algal cysts and subsequent Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs), official government reports attribute the recent 2025 South Australian bloom primarily to floodwaters, coastal upwelling, and marine heatwaves, dismissing direct causation by desalination as misinformation.

...

The Northern Water Supply Project (NWSP) is a proposed $5 billion desalination initiative in South Australia primarily driven by BHP’s need for water to support its Olympic Dam copper mining operations.  The project involves constructing a 260 megalitres per day desalination plant at Mullaquana Station, located 20 kilometres south of Whyalla, and a 600-kilometre pipeline to transport water to the Far North.

Timeline: Completion is now forecast for 2032, pushed back from earlier estimates due to delays in BHP’s expansion plans.  A final investment decision is expected in the 2026–27 financial year.

Funding: The project is initially funded by the South Australian Government, with costs to be recovered through long-term off-take agreements with BHP and other industrial users.  A $200 million pre-feasibility study is being jointly funded by the state and industry partners.



Shame Labor, Shame.

Rubbish. I've snorkelled and dived with those Cuttlefish. For decades they have fluctuating population growths and declines. Dolphins preying on them is also a contributor.