Marine biologist and University lecturer Prof. Alan Deidun has urged local councils and the private sector to fund jellyfish mitigation projects when the current EU funded Med-Jellyrisk initiative comes to an end in December.
The Med-Jellyrisk project is aimed at enhancing management approach and mitigation measures against jellyfish proliferations impacts. The three-year project - is funded by the European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument (ENPI) and has a total budget of €2.2 million.
The current project involved the University of Malta and the Malta Tourism Authority in collaboration with partners from three other Mediterranean countries - Tunisia, Italy and Spain.
In the case of Malta, Prof. Deidun said that the first anti-jellyfish net was installed at Pretty Bay, Birzebbugia. The project includes the participation of the Birzebbuga local council, the Malta Tourism Authority, Transport Malta, Divesystems and Ribola nets.
Prof. Deidun explained that the three other participating countries installed nets in various beaches which are frequented by tourists. Malta, however, decided to install the nets at Pretty Bay, which did not form part of a designated Natura 2000 site and which was sheltered from strong winds, as a precautionary measure.
The decision to do so was also to test during the environmental impact and performance of the same net before considering other sites on the islands.
“In Spain for instance, nets were installed at beaches in Ibiza and Barcelona and in Italy, at beaches at Lampedusa and at three Ionian islands and at Ustica, while in Tunisia at Hammamet and at Monastir,” Mr Deidun pointed out.
EU funds will not be available after December
Prof. Deidun further explained that the EU funds won’t be available after December this year since the project comes to an end. He urged other local councils, Ministries and other government entities or the private sector to come forward and fund similar projects in public or private beaches.
He said that the same nets being used at Pretty Bay can be utilised, but those who come forward would have to fund equipment such as moorings and chains, apart from the fact that they would have to pay divers to install the nets. Divers spent a day-and-the-half to install the net at Pretty Bay.
The anti-jellyfish net at Pretty Bay: A total of 625m2 of sea area at Pretty Bay has been enclosed and one can easily swim outside the net. Currently, the environmental impact of this net and its performance are being monitored. The net will be removed at the end of summer.
He highlighted that anyone interested in going ahead with similar projects should apply for a permit from Mepa in as early as in January or February in order to make it in time for summer. It is understood the procedure leading to a permit is a rather long one for Natura 2000 sites
On this point, Mr Deidun said that the installation of nets is just part of the project. “The project is much wider. For instance, free jellyfish identification guides and stinging treatment advice apps have beeen made available for free to download on Smart phones,” he said.
The link to the apps is jellyrisk.eu/downloads.
He continued: “Apart from this, training courses for young scientists to study jellyfish have also been organised. A course will soon take place in Tunisia this autumn, while a jellyfish dispersion model is being developed within the same project by the Physical Oceanography Research Group, pursuant to giving 3-4 days forward notice of where a sighted jellyfish bloom will hit.”
Other initiatives include campaigns for children such as the ‘Spot the Jellyfish’ website (www.ioikids.net/jellyfish), where participants can download a form and state the location they spotted a jellyfish.