A school of giant Nomura’s jellyfish are being blamed for the sinking of a fishing boat earlier this week, sending the three man crew overboard, and the 10-ton ship to the bottom of the ocean just off the eastern coast of Japan.
According to this story from Sky News, the fishermen were attempting to pull in a net filled with the creatures, but the weight of the catch caused the boat to roll onto its side and begin taking on water. The species of jellyfish are known to weigh in excess of 450 pounds, and can be more than two meters in diameter, which gives you an indication of just how large these beasts can grow.
2009 seems to have been a banner year for the Nomura’s jellyfish, as the waters between China and Japan have seen an unusual number of the creatures in recent months. Scientists believe it is due to near perfect weather and water conditions throughout the year, and the Japanese fishing industry is preparing for an onslaught of problems in the months ahead. In the past, the jellyfish have damaged fishing equipment, stung fish caught in the nets, and clogged commercial sea lanes.
I’m not sure about you, but a 6+ foot, 400 pound jellyfish sounds pretty frightening to me. The small ones are enough to keep most people out of the water, and I can’t imagine what it must be like to come across one of these while scuba diving or snorkeling, let alone dozens of them in one area.