Maltese waters are being scientifically monitored by aerial and marine surveys conducted by conservation biologist Dr Adriana Vella from the Department of Biology, University of Malta. This survey work will contribute data to the Med-JellyRisk project, coordinated by Associate Professor Stefano Piraino, CoNISMa and University of Salento, Italy.
Med-JellyRisk focuses on the integrated monitoring of jellyfish outbreaks under anthropogenic and climatic impacts in the Mediterranean Sea by considering trophic and socio-economic risks (www.jellyrisk.org). This Strategic Project (2012-2015) is supported by the European Commission ENPI Priority 1-Topic 3-Integrated Coastal Zone Management.
The surveys currently being undertaken by Dr Vella in Maltese waters assist the collection of biological data useful to monitoring the conditions that affect jellyfish blooming in the Mediterranean. Ongoing surveys this month have shown few if any jellyfish blooms in Maltese waters, which is a relief to the many swimming and aquaculture areas around the Maltese Islands and allows scientists to gather information on conditions prevailing when jellyfish are not proliferating into blooms. Dr Vella is also coordinating coastal monitoring from land as well as snorkelling surveys. The jellyfish blooms observed earlier in the year seem to have vanished from local waters in recent months.
The University of Malta faculties taking part in the Med-JellyRisk project include the Biology Department, led by Dr Vella, which is handling the biological aspects of this partnership, and the IOI-MOC, led by Dr Alan Deidun, which is involved with the physical oceanographic aspects. Both are also taking part in various activities this summer including the preparation of local training in jellyfish aspects, social-economic surveys and local awareness on the role played by jellyfish in our sea. Project partner scientists also include Dr Nejib Daly and Dr Ons Daly Yahia from Tunisia and Dr Veronica Fuentes from Spain.
This Med-JellyRisk consortium will establish a network of experts to develop and apply shared protocols to quantify the environmental and health risks of jellyfish proliferations, informing the development of management guidelines and forthcoming adaptive strategies, policies and regulations, for cooperative Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICMZ) in the Mediterranean Sea. The strategic objective is the promotion of joint planning methodologies. In particular, the project will promote the implementation of risk assessment and the prevention and mitigation of negative impacts resulting from jellyfish proliferations
As a conservation biologist interested in understanding how marine biodiversity may change with anthropogenic activities and climatic variations, Dr Vella believes that it is also important to consider the jellyfishes’ role in our changing marine life, if we wish to be better equipped to plan ways of sustaining marine activities – from fishing to swimming – and effectively conserve our marine biodiversity.
The thought of summers with no jellyfish is comforting for the many locals and tourists who want to enjoy our beautiful seas, and ongoing biological monitoring work should increase our understanding of how best to predict and manage blooming episodes at different times of the year. This project will also distinguish between jellyfish species, to find out which have the greatest socio-economic and biological impact. At the same time, local awareness on how to deal with the stings of various types of jellyfish is useful to allow swimmers to be prepared with a suitable treatment when preventive measures do not work.
Dr Vella, in her role as National Contact Person, is already contributing to another ongoing Mediterranean-wide jellyfish research programme being coordinated by CIESM in Monaco (www.ciesm.org/marine/programs/jellywatch.htm). Mediterranean National Contact people will meet at the next CIESM (Mediterranean Science Commission) congress in November to discuss future efforts.