Jellyfish Swarm, Creating Havoc in Fishing, Power Plants, and Desalination Plants

by Heidi Stevenson

25 November 2009

Scientists believe that jellyfish have been exanding from their previous ranges because of global warming, increasingly polluted waters, and overfishing. Swarming jellyfish are decimating sea fishing and sea farming industries.

In Japan, the world's largest jellyfish, the Nomura, which can grow to six feet in diameter, can ruin an entire day's catch by poisoning the fish. Taiichiro Hamano, who says that Nomura had once been seen only once every 40 years or so, but now, "Some fishermen have just stopped fishing. When you pull in the nets and see jellyfish, you get depressed." Jellyfish are now swarming almost every year along the Japanese coast.

The US National Science Foundation says that jellyfish have shut down seaside power and desalination plants in Japan, Africa, and the Middle East. They estimate that 500,000 people are now stung by jellyfish every year on the US eastern coastline alone, with 20-40 dying.

In China, polluted water has increased the growth of the plankton that jellyfish feed on, and previous overfishing has reduced their predators, resulting in jellyfish swarms.

The one upside of all these jellyfish is that a few entrepreneurs, especially in Japan, are creating food products made from them. One is even marketing jellyfish ice cream.