While swimmers desperately try to avoid the jellyfish this summer, scientists will strive to get a closer look at them to better understand them.

But they want people to join them in their quest. In fact, the University's International Ocean Institute has now launched Spot the Jellyfish, a project which encourages children and their parents to record the presence and location of jellyfish.

This information from people should generate useful data for marine scientists and tourist authorities, while helping bathers avoid the stings.

Sightings can be reported by either returning special leaflets distributed to schoolchildren, by sending a text message to 7922 2278 or by dropping an e-mail at ioi-mcc@um.edu.mt.

The project will be officially launched on June 4 to coincide with World Oceans Day on June 8.

Further information is available at www.ioikids.net/jellyfish.