Ariane “never saw” many jellyfish stranded in the North Sea: Should we worry?

The hat, the sunscreen and the urge to stroll on the beach, the return of good weather can sometimes be accompanied by minor inconveniences: jellyfish. Be careful where you put your beach pieces, thousands washed up in the North Sea last weekend. What is happening in our oceans? Is this “invasion” of jellyfish dangerous? Decryption with Jerome Malfett from the Marine Biology Laboratory (UCLouvain)

Long weekend rhymes to change the landscape … 60-year-old Ariane went to Nakke with his family last week. But he was a little restrained from walking through the water: “I usually go to the sea to enjoy mine, I was very surprised by the number of jellyfish here. There were actually a lot“, Alert us with our orange button.

This is not unusual for Jérôme Mallefet, a professor of marine biology at UCLouvain:Spring is ideal for bursting at the number of jellyfish. Once the good weather returns, these creatures take advantage of the abundant plankton in the ocean to feed themselves well. Like any creature, once it eats well, it reproduces well.“.

Lots of jellyfish and whatnot, stuck in the sand. This is not surprising either: “It’s because the wind blows in our direction and the creatures do not swim against the current. So they are blown away by the wind and blown away on the beach.“, Explains Jérôme Mallefet.

The sea animal with many tents, when viewed in the thousands, it may seem disturbing. Arian shares his feelings with us: “Looking at them, I thought to myself, ‘Fortunately we’m not in the middle of summer with the kids running barefoot on the beach.’ Is it okay for her to panic?

Jellyfish off the coast of Belgium: “They don’t scream much”

“Very shimmering, glowing in the sun“, Adjectives used by Arian, but Professor Mallefet is angry.”This is the classic jellyfish we see here. Her nickname is Aurelia Areta. They don’t scream much. But you have to be more careful“.

Adrian wanted to be careful, but he did not. “Completely untouched“Those jellyfish, except for his walking shoes. There’s no other way.”There were a lot“The sexist accepted the right behavior.

It is necessary to remain calm without moving

However, Dominic Vandijk, deputy director general of the Vishak Control Center, recalls the correct actions when contacted by jellyfish: “If you touch it, it is necessary to remain calm, as the movements promote the circulation of the venom. Then rinse the affected area with seawater, it is useless to urinate, which is an urban myth. If complications occur, consult a physician.“.