"In '78 the jellyfish destroyed the tourist product in the region with their infestation", says GRTimes Professor of Biology, Chariton-Sarl Hintiroglu. However, he is quick to characterize this phenomenon as temporary.
"Thousands of purple jellyfish, also known as 'pelagia noctiluca', are found in the seas of Halkidiki," the professor of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki also points out, talking about the phenomenon of the intense appearance of jellyfish in the Greek seas.
He also stresses that in 1978, this phenomenon "had destroyed the tourist product in Halkidiki and people ran to swim looking at the... wind, as the north wind took the jellyfish out of the seas, while the south wind sent them back in again".
According to Mr Hinteroglou, a recent study conducted by an American university in the North Pacific Ocean has shown that the jellyfish outbreak is due, among other things, to climate change, overfishing and eutrophication of the seas, i.e. organic pollution.
As the professor further describes, "the pelagia noctiluca, also known as the jellyfish, is not a common species and has appeared since last November in Halkidiki. It leaves behind a - potentially - toxic mucus that contains cnidocytes that eject when approached. It is a substance that we cannot detect with our eyes."
He explains that this is another reason not to attempt to remove them from the marine environment[/B] and bring them to shore. "If you take five jellyfish out of the sea, the beach will be filled with mucus carrying toxins, which make us itch," he says.
What to do in case of a jellyfish sting
In addition, Mr. Hintiroglu stresses that anyone who is allergic, it is advisable to avoid swimming in an area where there is an increased number of jellyfish, while stressing that "those allergic, those who go to the sea with young children and bathers in general, should be a little more careful. It is therefore advisable to have with us a medicinal preparation for stings and in case we are stung, to rinse the spot with clean water and then smear our ointment."
As for now, the period during which the purple jellyfish will remain in Greek waters by the thousands, Mr. Hidiroglou estimates that the phenomenon will not be permanent. "It will last 3-5 years. We are in the second year of the outbreak," he says.
"No need for panic and hysteria"
According to the expert, these jellyfish will be seen at the sea surface, "to which they rise with jerky movements of their circular muscular system". As he further explains, "they are the biggest competitor of fish, since when they show population explosions, they consume zooplankton en masse, essentially depriving fish of it and reducing their population."
Moreover, the professor describes that, following last year's condition, "the rare phenomenon of aurelia aurita, or moon jellyfish, remains intense in the Thermaikos Sea." Which, he says, "is not at all common, as these jellyfish are strange to appear from May in our waters."
In any case, however, the professor of the Department of Biology of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, recommends calm. As he emphasizes: "there is no need for panic and hysteria, we just need to show a little more caution."
They are difficult to spot because they are considered among the most dangerous in the Mediterranean
The purple jellyfish circulating in the Greek seas is a cause for lively concern, at a time when it is difficult to be immediately noticed by bathers.
"Many times their filaments because they are transparent cannot be spotted by the swimmer and for this reason we have contact on the body and it causes pain," noted to Mega the professor of Marine Biology, Oceanography & Marine Biosciences Drosos Koutsoumbas.
Although small in size, the biggest danger is its tentacles, which can reach up to ten meters.
"They are like a transparent umbrella with their tentacles that have cnidocytes with conidial fluid which they have in order to capture their prey," added Mr. Koutsoubas.
It is considered one of the most dangerous jellyfish species in the Mediterranean.
It is considered one of the most dangerous jellyfish species in the Mediterranean. Its bite or even a simple contact can cause pain, nausea, tachycardia, drop in blood pressure, headache and even shortness of breath.
Blisters can form around the bite area that can last from a few days to months.
According to the latest records, there is a major outbreak of the phenomenon in the Argosaronikos, Lesvos, the area of the South Evian Gulf, northern Greece, the northern Aegean and the Ionian Islands.
According to experts, the explosion in the jellyfish population that occurs at this time of year is due to climate change and overfishing by predators.
What is the i Naturalist app?
It is a jellyfish recording program in Greece that is primarily based on citizen science. It was launched in 2018 by the Hellenic Biodiversity Observatory. Until 2019 the records were entered in a Facebook group designed for this project.
Today this database has now been transferred to the inaturalist application with the recording in the Greek seas continuing.
Their mapping is a valuable tool both for scientific observation and for all those who wish to have a specific picture of the "onslaught" of jellyfish in the Greek seas and not only since there are data for the whole Mediterranean, Atlantic and Pacific oceans.
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