Alabama scientists: Jellyfish threaten health of oceans
ORANGE BEACH — Scientists in Orange Beach say there's been a jump in jellyfish and other dangerous marine life on Alabama's coastal beaches and they're trying to find out why.
"It seems to have been an exceptional year for them," Orange Beach Coastal Resources Director Phillip West said. "I don't recall ever seeing as many and seeing them so early." From Alaska to Africa, Australia to Alabama, scientists have noted with increasing frequency that jellyfish populations are on the rise.
Monty Graham, a Dauphin Island researcher who specializes in jellyfish, says there's also a greater number of the types of jellies — more than 100 — swimming in local waters now than there were a decade ago.
Scientists say the reasons for the rise range from rising ocean temperatures, increased nutrients and phytoplankton growth, to overfishing of jellyfish predators, depleted oxygen levels and manmade breeding grounds like oil platforms, piers and reefs.
Some warn the apparent planetwide increase in jellyfish could spell looming sickness for the world's oceans and say a sizzling welt is now low on the reasons to worry about jellyfish.
