Invasion of the Jellyfish and Worse - Oceans and Seas in Decline

by Robert Wilkinson

As readers of this site know, I am very concerned with the environmental changes upon our Earth, which all seem to point to the end of the lifestyles we've known in our lifetimes. Today we link to a story that anyone living near an ocean needs to read, since what's happening clearly points to a global problem. If you like to swim in the ocean, the Mediterranean, or the Caribbean, be very, very careful since there seems to be a very real risk from jellyfish, including some that are deadly if they sting you.

From The New York Times via TruthOut, a story of dying oceans, proliferation of jellyfish, Portuguese men-of-war and worse, adding up to a grim view of what's in store for those of us who actually enjoy going into the ocean. Though this article might seem to depart from the usual themes of this site, I do report from time to time on matters of global well-being, and the health of our planet is truly one of those "intersections of fate and free will."

Our Earth's health is one of the things we all need to pay attention to. That's why from time to time I've reported on related issues, such as toxic algae blooms creating public health problems for those living near oceans and seas around the world as well as destroying entire fisheries and killing most higher life forms in sections of the seas.

This is another report confirming that we on Planet Earth have created a huge problem through pollutants and overfishing, resulting in massive imbalances in the ecosystem. So if you like to go into the oceans and seas, pay attention to those things floating around, since the sting from some species can do some serious damage to your body, if not kill you.

From the article:

...In a period of hours during a day a couple of weeks ago, 300 people on Barcelona's bustling beaches were treated for stings, and 11 were taken to hospitals.

From Spain to New York, to Australia, Japan and Hawaii, jellyfish are becoming more numerous and more widespread, and they are showing up in places where they have rarely been seen before, scientists say. The faceless marauders are stinging children blithely bathing on summer vacations, forcing beaches to close and clogging fishing nets....

Within the past year, there have been beach closings because of jellyfish swarms on the Côte d'Azur in France, the Great Barrier Reef of Australia, and at Waikiki and Virginia Beach in the United States.

In Australia, more than 30,000 people were treated for stings last year, double the number in 2005. The rare but deadly Irukandji jellyfish is expanding its range in Australia's warming waters, marine scientists say....

"Human-caused stresses, including global warming and overfishing, are encouraging jellyfish surpluses in many tourist destinations and productive fisheries," according to the National Science Foundation, which is issuing a report on the phenomenon this fall and lists as problem areas Australia, the Gulf of Mexico, Hawaii, the Black Sea, Namibia, Britain, the Mediterranean, the Sea of Japan, and the Yangtze estuary.

By all means, go to the article and read the whole thing. And yes, in a grim irony it seems from this article and others that there is a whole new industry in netting massive numbers of jellyfish for a growing demand in restaurants in various parts of the world. I suppose people will find reasons to eat anything. In this case I think I'll take a pass.

And I will be posting more on the Astrological factors going on in the near future, so stay tuned. In the meantime, learn all you can about what's important in your local environment and pray for our planet.

© Copyright 2008 Robert Wilkinson

Comments

[Chris]

Oh, let us not worry about zee zhelly feesh. This is my Jacques Cousteau voice. Everything is as it should be and there is no need to worry, even in weird times like this. Especially in them, I should say. Hang in there everyone. Oh yeah, I am getting everyone to pray for ultra cheap solar cells, around 5 cents an installed watt. So help us pray for this breakthrough. Scientists already have cells producing ten times the power of regular cells. It's so close. All we need is a some more prayer to reach the tipping point.

With love and blessings for healthy Earth and Seas,

Chris

[sue]

Hi from S. E. Aust. Last night I heard a headline on the local news program that a building permit for houses on the coast near here had been knocked back due to rising sea levels!

Seems like further evidence emerges every day that confirms just how damaged the planet is.

How strange that at the same time the development of coastal regions is at an all time high over here. It's like this mad race to get a sea view to watch the end of life as we know it from the comfort of ones own living room. I'd love to know the astrology of why so many people seem so hell bent on hastening climate changes and the attendant ills of pollution and peak oil.

[Robert]

Hi Chris - Unless your post was totally tongue in cheek and you have a VERY dry sense of humor, not worry about jellyfish? You must not go into oceans very often, or the stings give you some kind of neurological high! ;-) Things are definitely not "as they should be," given the massive die-offs of the higher orders of oceanic life affecting the entire food chain globally for countless millions. And while prayer works miracles in many realms, in the realm of energy technology I vote for more R&D money for solar sytems that will give the world cheap and limitless energy, and legislation that prevents a few greedy people from making it insanely expensive!

Hi sue - I thought of all my Australian readers when I found this article. Coastal development is also insanely out of balance here in North America, as is the equally insane insurance policies on such buildings which keep getting rebuilt regardless of how much damage is done, costing people all over the world higher premiums. Not sure "so many people" are into pollution, but the small percentage of greedheads running the game sure are messing it up for everyone else.

[Chris]

After some more thought, this is clearly a job for Spongebob and Patrick. They will have all the excess jellyfish caught in no time. And as for eating them, who knows. It turns out green eggs and ham are delicious even nobody saw that outcome at the beginning of the story either.

[giverny]

Robert...hi glad you bring up these issues here...i lived on various islands on the barrier reef back in the 80's and it was rare for anyone to be stung by the jellyfish...after returning to Dunk island in the 90's i was shocked and saddened at the damage that tourism had on the reef in such a short time...one encouraging thing of late has been the sighting of a new species of dolfin in western Australia....hope the french don't hear of them! since they seem to eat everything that moves...trying to joke with Chris...and the Astrology of stupidity as Sue mentioned is all it takes sometimes....humour is sometimes all we have left...greed is always the problem in this world!

[Robert]

Hi giverny - Well, it's hard for me not to take a grim view given I'm seeing the end of the world as I have known it. The ocean was literally my best friend when I was growing up in coastal Florida in the 50s and 60s, and I am saddened by its destruction. It held me, nurtured me, thrilled me, danced with me, and gave me countless hours of enjoyment and comfort. I mourn its destruction as I would my best friend of over 50 years. To me it is a tragedy beyond description.