NP: What is a jellyfish?
GG: A jellyfish is a marine organism that has a mouth but no anus. It digests its food and then regurgitates it. A jellyfish can be stinging or non-stinging, edible or inedible. It’s important to note that not only jellyfish can sting. There are other organisms that you don’t see because they are transparent. They can be mistaken for jellyfish due to their gelatinous appearance. So, it’s not always fair to blame jellyfish.
NP: But jellyfish are particularly numerous along our coasts, why is that?
GG: They are very well adapted to living conditions in the Mediterranean. They are very prolific. This is why we see them more frequently along our coasts nowadays than other species.
NP: Why “at this moment”?
GG: Another species is coming. It has traveled through the Suez Canal and has invaded the eastern Mediterranean. Countries like Lebanon, Syria, and Egypt are already affected. Now it is moving along the Turkish and Greek coasts and will soon reach Italy. France will soon be affected too. This species is larger and extremely unpleasant.
NP: What are the risks posed by these jellyfish, apart from unpleasant skin reactions?
GG: Firstly, they can be deadly for people who are allergic. A sting to the throat can be fatal. Moreover, these jellyfish are very efficient at capturing fish larvae or the food of young fishes. They are in direct competition with fish, which is bad for the preservation of the ecosystem. An overly dominant organism eliminates others, and it’s also bad for fishermen. They get caught in nets, which further prevents fishermen from working normally.
NP: Should humans try to regulate the proliferation of this species?
GG: Humanity has already done too much. It has extracted everything it wanted from the sea and left everything unpleasant, like stinging jellyfish, for example. Now the ecosystem is disrupted and marine resources are dwindling. It is time for humans to eat jellyfish. And I’m not joking. This food is still considered unusual, but it could be a solution to the problem.
