Snappy newsletters. Simple Facebook sharing. Spirited comments. Sweet features are waiting… GET THEM NOW!

Jelly-cide: 100,000 Salmon Killed

Northern Ireland's entire stock destroyed in jellyfish attack

By John Lister,  Newser User

Posted Nov 22, 2007 12:00 PM CST
Email

(Newser) – An attack of killer jellyfish has wiped out Northern Ireland’s only salmon farm. More than 100,000 fish died in the seven-hour attack, causing estimated losses of $2.1 million, AFP reports. The 35-foot-deep wave of jellyfish covered 10 square miles. The mauve stinger normally prefers warmer Mediterranean waters and has never been seen off British shores in such numbers.

The attack was particularly poorly timed for John Russell, who took over as the farm’s boss just three days earlier. “It was sheer devastation. The sea was red with these jellyfish and there was nothing we could do,” he said. Government officials are considering financial aid for the company, which has 12 staff and supplies leading London restaurants and European hotels.

In this photo released by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) and the National Geographic Society-led Inner Space Speciation Project (ISSP) shows a jellyfish (Aequorea sp) collected by divers in the surface waters of the Celebes Sea in southern Philippines which is shown to reporters in a briefing Tuesday, Oct....
In this photo released by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) and the National Geographic Society-led Inner Space Speciation Project (ISSP) shows a jellyfish (Aequorea sp) collected by divers...   (Associated Press)
In this photo released by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) and the National Geographic Society-led Inner Space Speciation Project (ISSP), a deep sea jellyfish (Atolla sp.) collected with the ROV (Remotely Operated Vehicle), from a depth of at least 1,500 meters, at a briefing Tuesday, Oct. 16,...
In this photo released by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) and the National Geographic Society-led Inner Space Speciation Project (ISSP), a deep sea jellyfish (Atolla sp.) collected with...   (Associated Press)
Salmon that average 2-3 feet in length, pass through the fish ladder at Bonneville Dam in North Bonneville, Wash., in this April 10, 2001 file photo. The federal agency in charge of restoring salmon said Wednesday, Oct. 31, 2007, that plans for operating federal hydroelectric dams on the Columbia and...
Salmon that average 2-3 feet in length, pass through the fish ladder at Bonneville Dam in North Bonneville, Wash., in this April 10, 2001 file photo. The federal agency in charge of restoring salmon said...   (Associated Press)
A Black Jellyfish (Chrysaora Achlyos) sw
A Black Jellyfish (Chrysaora Achlyos) sw   (Getty Images)
« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow
To report an error on this story, notify our editors.
A snapshot of the day's best news stories.
 
COMMENTS
Be the first to comment on this story.

Description of the mauve stinger
Marine Life Information Network

Mauve stingers cause problems for Mediterranean swimmers
New Scientist

 
agriculture • Northern Ireland • salmon • fish • fishing • nature • jellyfish

More Newser Stories

Fish Stocks Are Fine, So Dig In

Why I Finally Love Farmed Fish

Be a Good American: Eat This Fish

Oceans May Be Out of Fish by 2050

YouTube Fish Video May Lead to Charges
NEWS FROM OUR PARTNERS
Other Sites We Like:   24/7 Wall St.   |   Betty Confidential   |   BuzzFeed   |   Cracked   |   Fark   |   Timelines   |   The Frisky   |   Geek Sugar   |   NewsOne