Jellyfish Gone Wild
By Ashley Thompson
Planning a winter beach getaway this holiday season? The world’s oceans have gifted us with quite the unpleasant surprise, and it comes in the form of swarms of jellyfish. From Hawaii to the Gulf of Mexico to the Mediterranean to Australia, jellyfish populations have reached a sort of unprecedented maritime gridlock, according to a new report by the National Science Foundation. But before we start griping, realize that human-caused changes in the oceans are most likely the main culprit.
The study, entitled Jellyfish Gone Wild, states that 150 million people worldwide are exposed to jellyfish annually. The invasions mean bad news in places like Australia, where around 10,000 people suffer stings annually from the highly venomous Portuguese man-of-war. According to the study, 200,000 people are stung each year in Florida alone.
Wallets are feeling the sting, too. A comb jellyfish invasion in the Black Sea in the 1990s saw more than 1,000 jellyfish per cubic yard in some spots. It was a large blow to local fishermen, who suffered a 350-million-dollar loss because of damage to ships and mining operations and reduced fish catch. More recently, this invasion was tamed by the inadvertent introduction of yet another jellyfish that eats the comb jelly. But the spread of invasive species has now reached the Mediterranean, Azov, and Caspian Seas, the last of which underwent fishing industry damages even worse than those of the Black Sea.
These clogs in certain parts of the oceans aren’t the product of natural migration patterns, the NSF says. Instead, human interference is the prime suspect. The invasive species in European seas, for example, were most likely dumped by foreign ships. And certain “dead zones,” low-oxygen zones created by runoff pollution, attract jellyfish because the lack of life there means little competition for space. Jellyfish thrive in the warming ocean waters brought on by climate change. Beyond that, jellyfish predators have suffered as a result of human activity and the changing climate, including seven species of endangered sea turtles.
“There is clear, clean evidence that certain types of human-caused environmental stresses are triggering jellyfish swarms in some locations,” William Hamner of the University of California at Los Angeles says in the report.
I suppose we’ve made our bed. Now we must swim with the consequences.
Read More: IT wrote about an oncoming swarm of jellyfish in Europe back in April.
Photo via BrianMorley’s Flickr
Go Further
Animals
- Octopuses have a lot of secrets. Can you guess 8 of them?
- Animals
- Feature
Octopuses have a lot of secrets. Can you guess 8 of them? - This biologist and her rescue dog help protect bears in the AndesThis biologist and her rescue dog help protect bears in the Andes
- An octopus invited this writer into her tank—and her secret worldAn octopus invited this writer into her tank—and her secret world
- Peace-loving bonobos are more aggressive than we thoughtPeace-loving bonobos are more aggressive than we thought
Environment
- U.S. plans to clean its drinking water. What does that mean?U.S. plans to clean its drinking water. What does that mean?
- Food systems: supporting the triangle of food security, Video Story
- Paid Content
Food systems: supporting the triangle of food security - Will we ever solve the mystery of the Mima mounds?Will we ever solve the mystery of the Mima mounds?
- Are synthetic diamonds really better for the planet?Are synthetic diamonds really better for the planet?
- This year's cherry blossom peak bloom was a warning signThis year's cherry blossom peak bloom was a warning sign
- The U.S. just announced an asbestos ban. What took so long?The U.S. just announced an asbestos ban. What took so long?
History & Culture
- How technology is revealing secrets in these ancient scrollsHow technology is revealing secrets in these ancient scrolls
- Pilgrimages aren’t just spiritual anymore. They’re a workout.Pilgrimages aren’t just spiritual anymore. They’re a workout.
- This ancient cure was just revived in a lab. Does it work?This ancient cure was just revived in a lab. Does it work?
- See how ancient Indigenous artists left their markSee how ancient Indigenous artists left their mark
- Why Passover is one of Judaism’s most important holidaysWhy Passover is one of Judaism’s most important holidays
- Is this mass grave a result of contagion—or cannibalism?Is this mass grave a result of contagion—or cannibalism?
Science
- This 80-foot-long sea monster was the killer whale of its timeThis 80-foot-long sea monster was the killer whale of its time
- Every 80 years, this star appears in the sky—and it’s almost timeEvery 80 years, this star appears in the sky—and it’s almost time
- How do you create your own ‘Blue Zone’? Here are 6 tipsHow do you create your own ‘Blue Zone’? Here are 6 tips
- Why outdoor adventure is important for women as they ageWhy outdoor adventure is important for women as they age
Travel
- Slow-roasted meats and fluffy dumplings in the Czech capitalSlow-roasted meats and fluffy dumplings in the Czech capital
- Want to travel like a local? Sleep in a Mongolian yurt or an Amish farmhouseWant to travel like a local? Sleep in a Mongolian yurt or an Amish farmhouse
- Sharing culinary traditions in the orchard-filled highlands of JordanSharing culinary traditions in the orchard-filled highlands of Jordan