Friends of Osprey secures $10,000 grant to monitor Osprey health after toxic algal bloom

Friends of Osprey is pleased to announce it has secured a $10,000 grant from the Department for Environment and Water (DEW) to support Osprey monitoring across South Australia’s coastline, in response to the toxic algal bloom that has impacted the state’s coastal waters over the past twelve months.

The funding comes at a critical time. The toxic algal bloom that has affected the state’s coastal waters over recent months has raised serious concerns for the health of marine and coastal ecosystems, and for the species that depend on them. As a top predator that feeds almost exclusively on fish, the Osprey is a valuable indicator of the health of our coastal waters, and any disruption to fish stocks or water quality has the potential to flow directly through to breeding success and chick survival.

This grant will allow Friends of Osprey to strengthen its monitoring program, with a focus on the Eyre and Yorke peninsulas, tracking nesting activity, breeding outcomes, and any changes in Osprey behaviour or health that may be linked to the bloom. The data collected will help build a clearer picture of the bloom’s broader ecological impact, support long-term conservation planning for the species, and support our active network of community-based volunteers.

Friends of Osprey thanks DEW for its continued support of Osprey recovery in South Australia, and for recognising the importance of monitoring at a time when our coastal environment is under real pressure.

Further updates on the monitoring program will be shared as the work progresses.