Ouch!

A recent explosion of jellyfish related incidents on beaches surrounding the Mediterranean and elsewhere is a sign of ocean decline, scientists say. A few weeks ago, over 300 people on Barcelona beaches were treated for jellyfish stings in just a few hours, and beaches in France, Australia, Hawaii, and elsewhere in the United States were closed due to the hazard presented by these unique creatures. A combination of overfishing, global warming, and pollution have changed the ocean habitat in such a way that jellyfish are getting closer to coasts around the world. Overfishing of the animal's competitors for food as well as natural predators, including tuna, sharks, and swordfish, has allowed jellyfish populations to grow rapidly. Warming sea temperatures have contributed too, since they breed faster and better in warmer temperatures. Reduced rainfall in tropical regions due to global warming has led to less runoff from land, which would normally decrease salinity in coastal waters, thus serving as a barrier against organisms like the jellyfish that lives in salt water. Lastly, pollution has played a major factor: it leads to lower oxygen levels and visibility in coastal waters. While most fish suffer under these conditions, jellyfish thrive in low oxygen areas and are not affected by low visibility; they filter food passively from the water and thus can get nutrients in complete darkness. If this bizarre jellyfish dilemma is not a blatant sign of human damage to the marine ecosystem, I'm not sure what is. See the video below for news coverage on this story.