No Recent Reports Of Clinging Jellyfish

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By Joseph Sapia
There have been no reports of clinging jellyfish in the Shrewsbury River or elsewhere in New Jersey since early July, according to officials.
The state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) reports the last reported sighting of the tiny non-native species with the extremely painful sting was when a team of DEP and Montclair State University scientists found two near a private dock in the Shrewsbury River off Columbus Drive in Monmouth Beach on July 6.
Aside from one specimen reported in the Manasquan River June 9, the first ever recorded in New Jersey, all the remaining clinging jellyfish were found in the Shrewsbury River from June 15 to July 6.
A theory is sea nettles – a native jellyfish, but with a less painful sting – may be taking care of the Asian invader by eating them, according to the DEP and Sandy Hook-based American Littoral Society (ALS).
“Despite the apparent decline in observations of the clinging jellyfish, we would also encourage people who frequent the Shrewsbury River to be mindful of their possible presence,” said Bob Considine, a DEP spokesman.
The American Littoral Society, a coastal advocacy organization, also is asking the public to report any sightings of clinging jellyfish, whose dime-size body is easily identifiable by its X-mark. The sightings should be reported to ALS at 732-291-0055 or zack@littoralsociety.org.
The Littoral Society has more information on clinging jellyfish at its website, littoralsociety.org.
ALS will pass along the clinging jellyfish information to Montclair State University. The DEP contracted Montclair State to do a clinging jellyfish assessment.
“A lot of people were asking us about the (clinging) jellyfish,” said Pim van Hemmen, the Society’s assistant director. “There’s a chance nobody will find anything. We’re trying to get people informed.”
Paul Bologna, a Montclair State biology professor, is to give an update on the college’s findings on the clinging jellyfish at the “Rally for the Navesink” forum Thursday, Aug. 11, in Rumson, to be held at 7 p.m. at the First Presbyterian Church, 4 E. River Road.
In June, a 20-year-old man was hospitalized for a clinging jellyfish sting or stings on the Shrewsbury River off Monmouth Beach. The sting can cause severe pain for days, but it has never been known to cause death.
Clinging jellyfish, “Gonionemus vertens,” are native to the Asian Pacific Ocean.
Their preferred habitat is 8 inches to 24 inches of water with vegetation such as eelgrass or algae and a food supply of grass shrimp and fish larvae. The water would have to be low velocity and have a lower salt content. They are normally active at night and on cloudy days.