Jellyfish swarm northward in warming world (Except the world isn't warming:)

AP via Yahoo ^ | 11/16/2009 | MICHAEL CASEY

[PreciousLiberty]

KOKONOGI, Japan – A blood-orange blob the size of a small refrigerator emerged from the dark waters, its venomous tentacles trapped in a fishing net. Within minutes, hundreds more were being hauled up, a pulsating mass crowding out the catch of mackerel and sea bass.

The fishermen leaned into the nets, grunting and grumbling as they tossed the translucent jellyfish back into the bay, giants weighing up to 200 kilograms (450 pounds), marine invaders that are putting the men's livelihoods at risk.

The venom of the Nomura, the world's largest jellyfish, a creature up to 2 meters (6 feet) in diameter, can ruin a whole day's catch by tainting or killing fish stung when ensnared with them in the maze of nets here in northwest Japan's Wakasa Bay.

"Some fishermen have just stopped fishing," said Taiichiro Hamano, 67. "When you pull in the nets and see jellyfish, you get depressed."

[PreciousLiberty]

I bet you didn't know (nonexistant) Global Warming was also causing depression!

The only hitch to this hypothesis is that the oceans aren't warming, and haven't for several years. As usual, a local phenomena which may or may not have anything to do with global climate is paraded as a "crisis" having to do with Global Warming.

The good news is that due to a sudden outbreak of common sense, the Copenhagen Treaty is dead in the water. :-)

[a fool in paradise]

A blood-orange blob the size of a small refrigerator emerged from the dark waters, its venomous tentacles trapped in a fishing net. Within minutes, hundreds more were being hauled up, a pulsating mass crowding out the catch of mackerel and sea bass.

Man, I haven't seen this TOHO monster film since I was a kid!

[Conservative Vermont Vet]

WOW! Those are some serious king-sized jelly fish and was not aware they grew to such proportions.

Anyone who can attest to have been stung by even a normal sized one(s) (and I claim among the unlucky as I was on Waikiki Beach many moons ago while stationed at Hickam AFB) that is an extremely painful experience not to be repeated and sure to make one cautious in the future.

I can only wonder what how one of these monsters might ruin someone's whole day.

[Dixie Yooper]

How many trillions of dollars do we have to give Al Gore to make everything better?

[steelyourfaith]

"Scientists believe climate change — the warming of oceans — has allowed some of the almost 2,000 jellyfish species to expand their ranges, appear earlier in the year and increase overall numbers, much as warming has helped ticks, bark beetles and other pests to spread to new latitudes..."

... yadda, yadda, yadda ...

 

Beam me to Planet Gore !

[chuck_the_tv_out]

[dead]

It’s obvious that any increase in the number of Nomura would be directly attributable to man-made global warming, as would any decrease in the number of Nomura.

[danielmryan]

Come to think of it, I only saw temperature records for one small part of the sea; the others didn't have that backup.

Anyone remember the good old days when the first question asked would have been, "are those jellyfish evolving so as to become more tolerant of less-warm sea temperatures?" Funny: I though evolution by means of natural selection was the main plank of modern biology.

[wmfights]

I wonder if the natural predators of the jelly fish are not as prevalent?

[Beagle8U]

“I wonder if the natural predators of the jelly fish are not as prevalent?”

The natural predators of the jellyfish are conservatives. Yes, they are in short supply.

[CottShop]

[[It’s obvious that any increase in the number of Nomura would be directly attributable to man-made global warming, as would any decrease in the number of Nomura.]]

Hell- even if they reamin relatively stable in numbers, it will somehow be man’s fault (these envirowackos will then claim the nomura ‘should be icnreasing in numbers’ or ‘should be decreasing in numbers’- We will NEVER win the war for TRUTH with these nutjobs- they ARE goign to foist their scam on the world, and htere’s nothign we can do to stop these morons and scam artists- NOTHING will deter them- not even the truth- Copenhagen WILL happen- their ‘delay’ is only until next year- and probably early next year when they WILL pass the measure forcing us all into poverty- they simply will NOT listen to the truth nor wil lthey EVER EVER cede that they were/are, and continuie to be wrong

[GATOR NAVY]

I remember seeing big swarms of these guys in the Yellow Sea off the west coast of Korea. Pretty impressive.

[Shimmer1]

I thought blood was red, not orange.

[vpintheak]

Those bastards are all over the arctic ocean. And trust me, the Arctic ocean is freaking COLD!

[Malichi]

Paging: Patrick Star, Spongebob Squarepants

Paging: Patrick Star, Spongebob Squarepants

[Rio]

From the article:

"We have been getting rid of jellyfish. But no matter how hard we try, the jellyfish keep coming and coming," said Fumio Oma, whose crew is out of work after their net broke under the weight of thousands of jellyfish. "We need the government's help to get rid of the jellyfish."

That's the answer to everything, isn't it?