Health Ministry Urges Fishing Ban Amid Algae Treatment Experiment

The Health Ministry recommended a temporary fishing ban near Ashkelon following an experimental treatment to halt an algae bloom offshore. The algae have disrupted desalination plants and water supply, with no clear end in sight. The experimental treatment, conducted by Blue-Green with planes from Chem-Nir, involved spraying compounds to stop the algae's spread. Results are expected within 48 hours.

Despite government assurances that the sprayed substances pose no public risk, the Health Ministry cited "uncertainty regarding the identity of the algae and the effects of the experimental treatment" as the reason for its cautious recommendation. It stressed that the ban is not based on a proven risk and does not affect drinking water quality or the safety of currently marketed fish.

Officials from the Energy Ministry and the Water Authority expressed surprise at the Health Ministry's recommendation, noting that a Health Ministry representative had participated in the meeting where the experiment was approved. The approval included strict limitations on the location and method of spraying, environmental monitoring, and immediate cessation if the materials drifted toward the shore or harmed wildlife. The substances were applied in controlled, quickly degrading quantities.

Government sources involved in the matter stated the experiment was approved as required, the materials are not pesticides, were not used in high doses, and are approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for use in drinking water bodies. Another source indicated the practice is common in reservoirs and seas in minimal concentrations and is not harmful to fish, but a ban was enacted as a precaution due to the use of a copper component.

This incident highlights a recurring lack of coordination and conflicting messages among government ministries and authorities dealing with the ongoing desalination crisis, which began earlier in the week. The Ministry of Environmental Protection did not publicly report on the Ashkelon experiment, while the Water Authority and Energy Minister Eli Cohen have repeatedly claimed the crisis is nearing its end, despite multiple desalination plants operating at reduced capacity or being completely shut down.

While the experiment's success is not guaranteed, similar algae management practices are used globally, particularly in freshwater bodies. This pre-treatment technology involves adding a coagulant and then millions of tiny air bubbles that attach to algae, floating them to the surface for collection. This method is compact and efficient, employed in areas prone to algae blooms like the Persian and Oman Gulfs, as well as in Spain and the Netherlands.