Surge in Jellyfish populations

[kiwibird]

Malaysia
Wednesday September 1, 2010
Langkawi hit by jellyfish boom
By SEREAN LAU
sereanlau@thestar.com.my


LANGKAWI: Improper dumping of sewage and the disappearance of turtles has caused an explosion in the jellyfish population which is threatening tourism here.

In the first 21 days of July alone, 185 cases of jellyfish attacks on tourists and residents including fishermen were recorded and this is becoming a cause of concern to the Langkawi Development Authority (Lada).

The authority is seeking Malaysia Nature Society?s help to reduce the number of jellyfish.

Lada?s economic affairs assistant officer Shajiddeen Shaari said the best way to curb the number of jellyfish would be to prevent marine pollution.

However, he said they faced problems in increasing the number of turtles, which feed on jellyfish, because of pollution along the beaches.

?Turtles mistake plastic bags for food as to they look like floating jellyfish to the turtles,? said Shajiddeen.

He said jellyfish are also reducing the fish population as they eat fish eggs.

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Full story:http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2010/9/1/nation/6948227&sec=nation

 

[kiwibird]

Re: Surge in Jellyfish populations

Flotilla of stinging jellyfish hit Spanish beaches

By Daniel Woolls, AP

Thursday, 12 August 2010

A vast flotilla of small, virtually undetectable jellyfish have stung hundreds of people on Spanish beaches this week - a swimmer's nightmare that biologists say will become increasingly common due to climate change and overfishing.

.... On Tuesday alone, 380 people were stung, compared to the usual four or five swimmers a day...

Full Story http://www.independent.co.uk/enviro...ng-jellyfish-hit-spanish-beaches-2050687.html