Giant stinging jelly fish on sligo shores
GIANT Jellyfish are being washed up on Sligo shores as huge shoals of the stinging creatures are found swimming along the North West Coastline.
Surfer Declan Kearns came across what he suspects was a Lion’s Mane jellyfish last weekend on Enniscrone beach.
The water enthusiast from Tubbercurry was so taken aback with the size of the giant fish that he took a photo, placing his brother John in shot for perspective purposes.
“It was absolutely huge, at least 1.2 meters across. I spotted a lot of other little ones in the water too,” says Declan who ‘went home straight away to look up the species of jellyfish.’
“It was the biggest jelly fish I’ve ever seen and I spend a lot of time in the sea. I got my brother John to pose to see how big it actually is, “explains Declan.
Declan who likes to windsurf says sharing the sea with jellies is not pleasant.
“It would turn me off. I wear a wetsuit but I can still get stung on my hands, feet and face. I’ve often been stung in past summers but I can honestly say I’ve never seen such an influx of jellyfish around Sligo as this year.”
Maths Teacher Declan is a regular to many Sligo beaches including Enniscrone and Rosses Point.
He adds: “Last week I also came across millions of brown, Lions mane jelly fish in Rosses Point.”
Sea swimmers who take part in sessions with instructor Shei- la Ryan at the Point have also reported an increase in jellyfish in recent weeks. Meanwhile a memo was circulated to HSE staff with regard to treating Jellyfish a few weeks ago.
The lion’s mane jellyfish, also known as the giant jellyfish or the hair jelly, is the largest known species of jellyfish.
Its range is usually confined to cold waters of the Arctic, northern Atlantic, and northern Pacific Oceans. It is common in the English Channel, Irish Sea, North Sea.
Similar jellyfish, which may be the same species, are known to inhabit seas near Australia and New Zealand.
The largest recorded specimen found washed up on the shore of Massachusetts Bay in 1870, had a bell with a diameter of 2.3 metres (7 ft 6 in) and tentacles 37.0 m (121.4 ft) long.