MONMOUTH BEACH – The borough send out an e-alert Wednesday warning residents to be aware of the possible presence of Clinging Jelly Fish in the Shrewsbury River.
The tiny jellyfish native to the Pacific Ocean are known for their strong sting. There have been reports of the jellyfish showing up in the Barnegat Bay. Clinging jelly fish tend to stick to marine grasses and are hard to spot since they are about the size of a fingernail.
Cindy Claus, director of Jenkinson’s Aquarium, said she heard from a Monmouth Beach resident Wednesday who believed she found a few of the non-native creatures in the lagoon behind her home.
She forwarded the specimens to the area expert, Paul Bologna, the director of the Marine Biology and Coastal Sciences Program at Montclair State University, who will conduct DNA test- ing on the tentacles.
“If they are in the area, you don’t want to be swimming in that area,” said Claus.
