Environment Ministry official said Sunday that over 7,000 jellyfish have been observed on the shores of the North Coast, Alexandria and Balteem since June 28 until July 9.
Head of the Northern Nature Reserves Directorate with the ministry, Mohamed al-Eisawy, said that they formed a team of researchers from the ministry one and half years ago to tackle the issues pertaining to the shores of Port Said, Alexandria governorates as well as other Delta and Qattara- depression cities.
During a seminar for the ministry, Eisawy said that the team has launched campaigns to seize sea turtles and return them to the Mediterranean Sea, adding that over 40,000 sea turtles have been returned to the sea lately to counter the spread of jellyfish.
Eisawy said that 20 complaints have been received from citizens in the recent period concerning the spread of jellyfish on beaches. He pointed out that a team was formed to educate citizens on the beaches and would distribute leaflets to citizens on how to deal with jellyfish.
He said that 4,927 jellyfish were observed on the North Coast, 1,092 in Alexandria and 1,108 in Balteem from June 28 to July 8, indicating that the numbers are constantly declining.
Eisawy pointed out that there is no definitive explanation for this phenomenon, but there are some theories that without this type of organism there was no marine environment and it is a natural phenomenon but human activities have led to the increase.
Edited Translation by Al-Masry Al-Youm
