When Monster Jellyfish Attack
by Jeremy Elton Jacquot, Los Angeles on 08.19.07
First, it was the attack of the giant squids — and now this: the invasion of the monster Australian jellyfish that are threatening to devour the Gulf of Mexico's native fish. Just how big can they get? Well, according to Monty Graham of the Dauphin Island Sea Lab: "In their native waters, they tend to be fist-sized. Here in the Gulf, they can be a big as dinner plates.” Not to mention they can weight up to 25 pounds.
While they don't pose a direct threat to humans, these Australian spotted jellyfish (Phyllorhiza punctata) have a tendency to foul trawling nets and gulp down large quantities of fish eggs and larvae. They were originally discovered in the Gulf in 2000 — though in small numbers — and have since extended their range up to several mid-Atlantic states. “We just started getting reports of Phyllorhiza appearing on the east coast of Florida and as far up as North Carolina this year," said Graham. Local authorities are encouraging anyone who sees jellyfish to report the sightings to the Sea Lab's website.
Via ::LiveScience: Monster Jellyfish Invade Gulf of Mexico (news website)
See also: ::"All Aboard" - Two New Invasive Species Per Year Entering US/Canadian Great Lakes
Think that's bad? Try the jellyfish in Japan: big ones about 10 feet across and up to 400 pounds. And that's not the worst part. When they are attacked or hurt they release all their eggs/sperm into the ocean. So as trawlers try to cut them up with jellyfish killing nets or they bring up a load and chop them up on the deck, the jellies ensure more of themselves get produced later. Ugh!
These jellyfishes are quite unique in their own way and would never want to harm them. But this is getting ridiculous I mean the amount in the ocean. I spotted one in the Gulf of Mexico while taking a ship across there and they, like, linked onto the boat by the sides and probably underneath and we basically gave them a free ride to wherever the ship was heading. It was 4 years ago, about.