The Malta Tourism Authority has joined the International Ocean Institute – Malta Operations Centre of the University of Malta in an initiative aimed at compiling a comprehensive database of jellyfish records from Maltese waters this summer as well as creating awareness regarding jellyfish swarms.

The initiative, branded Spot the Jellyfish, is a citizen-science one in that it seeks to recruit the participation of the public, including schoolchildren, divers, bathers and beach-goers in general, in order to mount constant vigilance over local waters.

The initiative is headed by Prof. Aldo Drago and Dr. Alan Deidun from the IOI-MOC and has so far seen the printing of informative posters affixed along different parts of the Maltese coastline by the MTA.

Those wishing to lodge a report can do so by sending an email (to ioi-moc@um.edu.mt), an sms (to 79222278), through the website (www.ioikids.net/jellyfish) or by by mailing the leaflet currently being disseminated on all beaches and to all schools.

At the end of the summer, stock will be taken of all the jellyfish records received in order to start drawing the first conclusions on trends in jellyfish blooms so as to forward a list of recommendations for local authorities.

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