Swarms of stinging jellyfish hit Far North shores
HUGE numbers of stinging jellyfish have been seen on beaches in the far north in what could be a sign of global warming.
By Tuesday evening, thousands had drifted on to Reiss beach in Caithness.
The various species included the lion's mane jellyfish which can give an electric shock like sting.
Other areas where large numbers of jellyfish have been spotted include Dunnet, Scrabster, Papigoe, Scarfskerry and John O'Groats.
Dorcas Sinclair, from the Caithness Beach Cleans group, said: "We were at Scarfskerry harbour a few weeks back and you couldn't walk there for standing on stranded jellyfish."
After analysing photographs sent to her, a spokesperson for the Highland Environment Forum said she recognised a lion's mane jellyfish and described its sting as "very unpleasant".
"It's quite normal for them to end up on beaches in the summer – but it is possible that global warming, warm summers and ocean current changes are increasing them," she added.
Laura Cameron took a picture of a lion's mane jellyfish beached at Scrabster on Monday that was around four-and-a-half feet wide.
She said: "Apparently if the streamer bits come away from the body they still sting as well. Hot water and antihistamines are best, I think."
Jonathan Ball has gone sailing and diving around the north coast and is very familiar with the marine life commonly encountered.
He said: "A lion's mane can have tentacles 50 feet long and I probably wouldn’t walk barefoot on the beach. A sting will be very uncomfortable and cause pain and swelling but unless there's any severe reaction there are no long-term effects. Vinegar will soothe a sting but see a doctor if you are concerned."
Mr Ball said the tentacles can stick to the skin and apart from the painful burning sensation can also "lead to nausea and stomach aches" but stressed that "severe allergic reactions are rare".
Jean McLennan from Wick often walks Reiss beach with her dog and remembered being stung swimming in the sea off Carnoustie.
"I had a horrendous reaction resulting in an emergency visit to the doctor," she said.
When informed that apparently dead jellyfish lying on the shore can still sting, she said she would "be paying the beached ones a bit more respect in future".
Dr Peter Richardson, the head of ocean recovery at the Marine Conservation Society (MCS), said that as far as he is aware no-one has ever died from a jellyfish sting in the UK – but plenty have had a nasty shock.
He said: “It's the peak of jellyfish season here in the UK, with several of the more common species occurring around the coast of Scotland, as expected, including the blue jellyfish and closely related lion's mane.
"Both these jellyfish sting, with the lion's mane packing a particularly powerful and painful punch."
He compared the sting of the commonly encountered blue and compass jellyfish to that of a nettle.
Dr Richardson added that in recent years jellyfish have been appearing in quite large numbers and especially around the north-east coast of Scotland.
"Fishermen in Caithness were finding that their nets were being inundated with them. They don't tend to feel stings on their hands but on their face it hurts."
The MCS charity has recently launched a nationwide survey of jellyfish but urges beachcombers not to touch them. Dogs and children should be carefully monitored around the creatures too.
Dr Richardson said: "As people start venturing on to our beaches again, we encourage beach-goers to report their jellyfish encounters on our website as part of our ongoing jellyfish survey – taking care to look but not touch. You can download our jellyfish ID guide to help you know your jellies."
For more information on the MCS jellyfish survey visit www.mcsuk.org/sightings/
