Media Contact: Lisa Young
251/861-7509
The invasive Australian jellyfish,
Phyllorhiza punctata, first reported in great quantities in the Gulf
of Mexico in 2000, has made a vigorous reappearance this summer in
waters from southwestern Louisiana to Morehead City, North Carolina.
Beachgoers and boaters are encouraged to report their sightings of
these exotic jellies to the Dauphin Island Sea Lab’s jellyfish website,
Dockwatch, at
http://dockwatch.disl.org
Since 2000, Phyllorhiza sightings have occurred in the Gulf as
far west as Galveston Bay, Texas, but only in a handful of numbers.
This year, not only are their numbers higher, but their range has
extended up to the Mid-Atlantic states. “Reports from the Panhandle of
Florida and North Carolina indicate they’re pretty concentrated
elsewhere,” states Dauphin Island Sea Lab Senior Marine Scientist Dr.
Monty Graham.
Ranging in size from a softball to a basketball, the Australian
jellyfish present little to no danger in terms of their sting. A
preponderance of jellies, however, could pose a threat to the commercial
fishing and shrimping industry as they foul up trawling nets and consume
eggs and larvae of important fishery species.
“We just started getting reports of Phyllorhiza appearing on the
east coast of Florida and as far up as North Carolina this year. We
don’t think that jellies from the Gulf are pouring up the coast,
necessarily, but the appearances and concentrations of these animals in
both places may be related,” says Dr. Graham.
“Phyllorhiza are prolific feeders; they can compete with
commercially important fish for food, and they also eat the larvae of
these fish. In their native waters, they tend to be fist-sized; here in
the Gulf, they can be a big as dinner plates.”
“We absolutely depend on the public’s reporting the appearance of these
creatures. We don’t have the resources to survey the waters
continuously, and by tracking their numbers and locations, we can try to
get a handle on why they’re here in such concentrations and what impact
they have on the ecosystem,” he concludes.
Dockwatch has been funded by the Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant
Consortium.
Note to reporters/editors: Dr. Monty Graham is available to speak to
reporters. Contact mgraham@disl.org, or call Lisa Young at 251-861-7509
to set up an interview.
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