Jellyfish patrols take the sting out of Ibiza

Jane Dunford, The Observer 1 Jun 08;

The beautiful beaches of Spain's Balearic islands have long been plagued by jellyfish, but starting today, the locals are fighting back.

For the first time, the authorities will use a fleet of fishing boats to patrol the waters, effectively creating a safety cordon around the shore. Using satellite imagery, the anti-jellyfish force will locate large shoals, then use specially designed nets to catch them.

Forty boats, including 16 in Ibiza, will be issued with the nets. As well as a daily fee, reportedly of €600 per boat, the fishermen will be paid for every kilo of jellyfish they catch. The scheme will last four months. The jellyfish cannot be caught when far out to sea, because they sink too far below the surface and other marine life would be snared in the nets. Instead, the boats must wait until the 'banks' of jellyfish are a few hundred metres from shore. Once caught, they can be recycled as protein-rich fertiliser.

The local authorities are at pains to stress that the initiative is not in response to a greater threat of jellyfish this summer, and that so far the satellites have spotted nothing out of the ordinary. However, overall, the hazard appears to be growing throughout the Mediterranean. Last June, lifeguards in one town in Ibiza, San Antonio, had to deal with 152 cases of jellyfish stings. Josep-Maria Gili, research professor at Barcelona's Institute of Marine Sciences, is predicting that this summer will see another serious invasion of Pelagia noctiluca, the 'mauve stinger' that commonly afflicts Mediterranean beaches.

'Conditions in recent years have been ideal - very mild and with little rain and with unusually warm sea temperatures,' he said. 'People have been really enjoying it, but these are perfect conditions for jellyfish.'

Over-fishing has led to the demise of the traditional predators, including swordfish and red tuna. The leatherback turtle, another predator, has been driven to the point of extinction. While painful, the sting of Pelagia noctiluca normally poses no serious health risks.