Jellyfish sightings pour in - including a Portuguese man-o-war

Marioi Camilleri

Jun 10th 2010, 16:53

Forsi ha nejd cuccta jista tiqabad skwadra specjali taqbad il jellyfish forsi bxi xbiki kbar dawn normalment ikunu flotta kbira gilli froqqa ta 10metri cubi ikun hemm mijjiet .alkemm mhux ha jinqabdu kolla ghax huwa ofja imma dejjem jitnaqsu .

Nick Reider

Jun 10th 2010, 16:49

Nothing like a bit of sensationalism is there?

The summer silly season is underway.

We're going to die! The killer jellyfish are coming.

Chris Fenech

Jun 10th 2010, 12:33

Another person already said this, but it's important that everyone informs himself:
The Portuguese Man o' War (Physalia physalis) is not a jellyfish. It is a colony of Siphonophora: an order under the Class Hydrozoa.

I think we should find a means of increasing the population of Sea Turtles in our sea. That way the population of jellyfish and other organisms which may harm people will be decreased by the feeding habits of these turtles.

Here are three turtles which eat jellyfish:

Loggerhead sea turtle (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loggerhead_sea_turtle)
Ridley sea turtle (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ridley_sea_turtle)
Leatherback turtle (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leatherbacks)

And this is an article about the feeding habits of Sea Turtles in general: http://www.swbg-animals.org/animal-info/info-books/sea-turtle/diet.htm

David Captur

Jun 10th 2010, 11:47

How harmful could they be, they're named after a heavy metal band who enjoy showing themselves wearing wooly underwear and holding toy swords...?

Anthony Neil Pace

Jun 10th 2010, 07:16

Hasn't anybody noticed that the e-mail address of the Of the study LOL ?

Alex Borg

Jun 10th 2010, 00:22

Agree with Daniel Jones that it is the sharp decline in tuna stocks that is causing the imbalance and consequent rise in the numbers of jellyfish.

victor rodenas

Jun 9th 2010, 18:41

Not to contradict you Sandra Camilleri, as I stated I am no expert ,but are you sure that if you apply fresh water you do not worsen the situation.Washed by fresh water the stinging cells might be activated again.

sandra camileri

Jun 9th 2010, 16:33

INJURY MECHANISM Long blue, threadlike tentacles.
SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS Stinging, burning, redness, swelling of lymph nodes. Long welt lines. Severe reactions: difficulty with breathing and cardiac arrest.
IMMEDIATE FIRST AID ADVICE:

1. Rinse the area liberally with seawater or fresh water to remove any tentacles stuck to the skin. This can be from a spray bottle or in a beach shower. Do not apply vinegar. A study shows that vinegar in these stings sometimes makes the sting worse. (Portuguese man-of-wars belong to a different family than box jellyfish [Carybdea alata] and therefore must be treated separately.)

2. For severe pain, try applying heat or cold, whichever feels better to the victim.

3. Few Portuguese man-of-war stings in Hawai`i cause life-threatening reactions, but this is always a possibility. Some people are extremely sensitive to the venom; a few have allergic reactions. Consider even the slightest breathing difficulty, or altered level of consciousness, a medical emergency. Call for help and use automatic epinephrine injector if available.

COMMON HABITAT Open ocean. Bays and beaches during strong onshore winds.
PREVENTION Avoid areas where they frequent. Usually found when winds blow in from the ocean onto land. Observe posted signs.

Louise Cassar

Jun 9th 2010, 15:00

Nets can be worse if the sea is rough or there is even the slightest current. Jellyfish, or other organisms such as the Portuguese Man 'o War can be cut into small pieces and spread all over the beach. The tentacles, even though not attached to the jellyfish, can still sting for a few days as the venom remains there.

Is it important that if anyone gets stung by a Portuguese Man 'o War, refrain from putting vinegar on it, as it is not a jelly fish and it will only be made worse. Urine doesn't work either!

victor rodenas

Jun 9th 2010, 12:50

I am not a marine biologist so what I am going to state could be wrong.Marine life was always my favorite subject,but what was accepted as true 30 yrs. ago could be proven false today.......Sometimes in the sea happens what is called a population explosion.At one time there is a dearth of sea urchins,star fish,jellyfish...etc.Then all of a sudden because of different currents, food increase,less pollution and other elements we will notice an immense increase of such sea life......this goes on for a period of about 5 yrs.It is called a population explosion and it is quite normal...Also,when sea oil tankers empty their sea water ballast in the Med.sea, some sea life which happen to be trapped with the water ballast is realeased in the Med.Sea, that is why we sometimes notice strange creatures floating or swimming in the sea. Another entry is from the Red SEA through the Suez Canal .What comes in through the Straights of Gibraltar is considered as a normal entry.

Charlot Attard

Jun 9th 2010, 12:29

What can be done, cannot be solved by human intervention. This means that if humans do a net outside beaches will ruin nature obviously. The only thing we can do is that we intorudce turtles which will keep jellyfish under control. The government can introduce a law which abides fishermens from doing overfishing on turtles.

Joseph Grech

Jun 9th 2010, 12:09

Hello Hon Prime Minister, Minister responsible for Fisheries...and Cabinet:
Could the ever increasing number of jellyfish (which are having a negative effect on tourism and Maltese well-being) be attributed to Aquaculture and Fish Farms? These are ruining Maltese coastal waters - ask any diver what is going on beneath these Fish Farms rearing fish for the Japanese table! So many vested interests before National Interests!
If this isn't a sacrilege on the part of this irresponsible government then WHAT IS?

A Farrugia

Jun 9th 2010, 12:01

Why not incentivise "overfishing" of these pests? I am sure that if adequate payment by the kilo is introduced, many fishermen would contribute to cleaning up the seas of these jellyfish. It may be found that this "cost" is in fact less costly to the overall economy and ultimately our tourist image. A documentary on Discovery Channel actually said that nets and cutting up these creatures increase propagation since the torn bits instigate the breeding process somehow. They need to be picked up/trawled in a manner that does not tear them up.

Nigel Cauchi

Jun 9th 2010, 11:35

solution- breed turtles- sorted

j mifsud

Jun 9th 2010, 11:07

Paradise bay has got the net across the bay and it did the trick except for the odd one

Christopher Pollard

Jun 9th 2010, 09:37

There were lots both dead on the beach and in the water last week at Ghajn Tuffieha. Two little children were stung and the staff in the cafeteria on the beach were very helpful. I must say that it puts one off going in the water. Has anyone tried the repellent sprays which are available at pharmacies?

Charlot Attard

Jun 9th 2010, 09:22

In my opinion these last summers we have seen an increasing amount of jellyfish which obviously will lead to people not going to beaches, even tourists. A threat to jellyfish is turtles, turtles are being caught and over fished that in my opinion is a main reason why this is happening. I am not a biologist or someone qualified but that is my opinion.

Louise Cassar

Jun 9th 2010, 08:32

Maybe we should point out remedies in case anyone gets stung by the Portuguese Man o' War.

http://www.aloha.com/~lifeguards/portugue.html

It is NOT a jelly fish, so DO NOT apply vinegar otherwise it will only get worse!

EDWIN DE MARCO

Jun 9th 2010, 08:25

In sandy beaches, like Golden Bay & Ghadira, there are arge expanses of sea-water that are a metre-high until you got chin-deep & deeper waters. Couldn't strong nets be installed at the end, say, of where the water is only a metre deep? At least, bathers could rest assured there was no danger in swimming there. As to the more adventurous swimmers who want to go over the net, it's their pidgeon! Where rocky beaches thrive, 'banjijiet' could be hewn, stone-cut from the rocks adjacent to the sea, again with a protective net. Private swimming pools are available at a price and I, for one, refrain from going there because I don't like swimming in other people's piss; apart from the eye & ear infections that one might get. Anmy suggestions.

Keith Aquilina

Jun 9th 2010, 08:25

Well done to the organisers for this 'citizen science' project. Maybe this project may be expanded throughout the year with fishermen, school students taking a more active role! Anyone interested check these links;

Similar snail project: http://www.evolutionmegalab.org/en/information/viewBackground

What is citizen science? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citizen_science