In the past few weeks, jellyfish have created havoc for fishermen, especially those engaged in the traditional madel fishing, in the North Western coastal areas of Marawila and Mudukatuwa.
Fishermen in Marawila and Mudukatuwa complain that nearly 70 percent of their daily catch is clogged with jellyfish.
“Jellyfish are always found in swarms. Since they sting, fishermen cannot separate the fish from the jellyfish in their nets. This task takes a long time and the fish catch too is affected.
This is seriously affecting the livelihood of our fishermen, especially those engaged in madel fishing,” a fisherman said.
According to the fishermen, jellyfish swarm the Wayamba coast after the monsoon, but this year the numbers have grown much higher.
The rise in the occurrence of jellyfish indicates the rising of the ocean temperature. Also, when jellyfish numbers increase, there is a reduction in the fish population.
In addition to reduced fish catch, the jellyfish also damage the fishing nets.
Jellyfish can survive increasing temperatures and pollution levels. The increasing levels of pollution in coastal waters are conducive for their growth.
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