Institute of Marine Research launches jellyfish warning tool

The Institute of Marine Research (HI) has launched a new tool called ‘Planktonstatus’ to provide aquaculture farmers with 24-hour risk forecasts for the arrival of comb jellies (Apolemia uvaria). The system may include SMS alerts to notify farmers of changing conditions at their specific sites.

The tool aims to help the industry prepare for jellyfish incursions following a significant event in 2023, when jellyfish attacks along the Norwegian coast reportedly caused the deaths of approximately three million farmed fish. The comb jelly is a colonial organism that can fragment into smaller pieces due to waves or turbulence; these fragments can penetrate aquaculture nets and harm fish with potent stinging cells.

Tina Oldham, who leads the JellySafe research project, noted that farmed fish are particularly vulnerable because they have limited ability to escape the jellyfish.