Invasion of jellyfish hits Spanish beaches

[emad]

August 11, 2005

Invasion of jellyfish hits Spanish beaches
From Edward Owen in Madrid

BRITONS heading for the Spanish costas this summer are being advised to cool off in their hotel pools. For lurking just below the surface of the inviting, azure sea is an army of jellyfish.
The Spanish Red Cross has already treated more than 15,000 swimmers for nasty stings.

Nearly all the Spanish coastline is affected, and lifeguards and Red Cross volunteers have imposed extensive restrictions on popular beaches in areas such as the Costa Brava. Swimmers who ignore the red flags frequently end up in the queues outside the first aid tents.

Last week, city authorities in Alicante, on the Costa Blanca, held an annual race round the port for 500 swimmers. More than 200 were stung and many had to be rescued.

Marine biologists say that the number of jellyfish has at least tripled on the Costa Brava, around Barcelona, on the Costa Dorada, in the Mar Menor, at La Manga, and at Motril and on the Costa del Sol. The Balearic Islands — Majorca, Minorca and Ibiza — are not quite so badly affected. Mechanical diggers were brought in to Ceuta, a Spanish enclave on the North African coast, to remove two tonnes of jellyfish, which were mainly the mauve stinger (Pelagia noctiluca) variety.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/newspaper/0,,173-1730089,00.html

[kick-ass-bob]

1. where is SpongeBob when you need him?