Government finally decides to deal with jellyfish plague

Yesterday, Deputy Environment Minister Socrates Femmelos admittsed, that the issue of the occurrence of jellyfish, specifically for the Corinthian and the Patraikos Gulf, has been identified since May. The measures, however, were just announced today.

The amendment tabled by Deputy Environment Minister Socrates Famelos on Tuesday, expected to be voted on Thursday by the House of Representatives, gives the green light for entrepreneurs, allowing them to place floating facilities and nets as bather protection measures as they will hinder the jellyfish from reaching the shores!

The jellyfish surge, since the beginning of this summer, has left most of the popular beaches deserted, since the bathers avoided them. As a result, hotel and leisure entrepreneurs from Kastelokampos Patras to Lambiri Aigialeia, have been driven to economic disaster, as they have already complained about the issue during the summer because of the legal obstacles in dealing directly with the jellyfish problem.

Ichthiologists we spoke to highlight illegal overfishing by bottom dragging trollers, as the main reason. The species which habitually prey on jellyfish have dwindled to such an extent that the invertebrates now have few natural enemies.