Jellyfish, jellypress and jellyperception

©Merho

Sofie Vandendriessche, Lies Vansteenbrugge, Kris Hostens,

Hannelore Maelfait

Apparent ↑ in jellyfish blooms

↑ of reports in science and

general media

↑ in public awareness

? Public perception influenced by media? Cf. Condon et al, 2012

What are the main messages spread by the general media about jellyfish?

Do these messages agree with the public knowledge and perception?

What are the implications of these results for ICZM?

A dead jellyfish! Again…

©Merho

Title day month year source species region keyword 1 keyword 2 keyword 3 context

Azijn smeren tegen kwallensteken 14 augustus 2000 Het Nieuwsblad / BCP hulppost redding azijn health

Camouflage tegen kwallen 25 augustus 2000 De Morgen / Jeruzalem onderzoek clownvis zonnecrème health

Kamkwallen vreten Kaspische Zee leeg 31 oktober 2000 Het Nieuwsblad Mnemiopsis leidyi Kaspische Zee plankton vraatzuchtig visstand blooms

Sepia en kwal 2 augustus 2001 Het Volk Cyanea lamarckii BCP aanspoelen strand gif blooms

Hittegolf en kwallenplaag in Italië 26 maart 2001 Het Volk / Italië netten zomer invasie blooms

Kwallen geven biggetjes fluorescerende kleuren 13 okt 2001 Het Belang van Limburg / VS onderzoek fluorescent biggen science

Duizenden blauwe kwallen aangespoeld 25 okt 2001 Het Laatste Nieuws Rhizostoma octopus BCP warm aanspoelen ongevaarlijk blooms

Opnieuw dode door dodelijke kwal 16 april 2002 Gazet Van Antwerpen Carukia barnesi Australië klein giftig gestorven drama

Minuskule kwal doodt zwemmers 20 april 2002 De Tijd Carukia barnesi Australië klein giftig gestorven drama

Dood na beet van een kwal 2 februari 2002 Gazet Van Antwerpen Carukia barnesi Australië klein giftig dodelijk drama

Kwal maakt eerste dode 2 februari 2002 De Morgen Carukia barnesi Australië klein giftig autopsie drama

Reuzenkwallen spoelen massaal aan in Japan 29 november 2002 Het Belang van Limburg Stomolophus nomurai Japan netten temperatuur gif blooms

Reuzenkwallen overspoelen Japanse kust 29 november 2002 De Standaard Stomolophus nomurai Japan netten temperatuur gif blooms

Warmte lokt ook kwallen naar strand 12 augustus 2003 Het Nieuwsblad Aurelia aurita BCP onschuldig aanspoelen warmte blooms

jellypress

quotes: “Tourists will not be affected, they will just go elsewhere” “Jellies? Whatever…!” “The sight of them alone is enough” “Jellies imply danger for me”

jellyperception

1/ There’s jellyfish and there’s jellyfish….: the species issue

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

unspecified

Turritopsis nutricola

Tiburonia granrojo

Stomolophus nomurai

Rhizostoma octopus

Physalia physalis

Carybdea marsupialis

Pelagia noctiluca

Mnemiopsis leidyi

Cyanea lamarckii

Cyanea capillata

Chrysaora hysoscella

Chironex fleckeri

Carukia barnesi

Aurelia aurita

Jellypress: species mentioned in 47% of the articles

Jellyperception: few people know different species (except divers)

survey was generalised to “jellyfish”

tourists cautious with all species, including harmless species

2/ Rise of slime, jellyfish joyride and jellyfication??

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

# ar

ticl

es

all

local

Jellypress: “jellyfish conquer the world” Jellyperception divers: 17% perceive increase other recreationists: 5% perceive increase

“More Mnemiopsis”

“Perhaps I have the wrong impression? The beaches are cleaned very often… “

3/ Key words reflect the general messages

0 5 10

food

avoid

spring

fear

dangerous

itch

tentacles

beautiful

pain

plankton

foul

nuisance

sea

sting

jelly

0 5 10 15

abundant

foul

sea

gelatinous

nuisance

diversity

caution

sting

pain

elegant

transparant

slimy

tentacles

beautiful

nettle cells

divers

Tourism industry (non divers)

0 10 20

plankton

sting

pain

study

tentacles

tourist

infestation

swim

warmth

global warming

wind

beach

poison

overfishing

washed ashore

press

4/ Jellycauses, jellyimpacts and jellysolutions

0 10 20 30 40 50

removal/consumption

ballast water treatment

fences

stop overfishing

introduce predator

0 10 20 30 40 50

remedy overfishing

fish and consume jellyfish

fenced swim zones

reduce pollution

0 10 20 30 40

global…

overfishing/ lack of…

pollution/…

shipping/ ballastwater

natural

0 10 20 30

global change

ocean acidification

overfishing

rareness of turtles

pollution

ballast water transport

life cycle characteristics…

0 20 40 60 80

impact on fisheries, fishstocks & aquaculture

impact on tourism/closedbeach

cool water intake/powerplant

0 20 40 60 80

inhabitants

tourists & recreants

tourist sector

fisheries & aquaculture

local governments

survey media

“tourists will not be affected because they simply will go elsewhere”

NOT confirmed by survey results

27% would go elsewhere if jellyfish would be abundant (> 10

visible)

half of these 27% would reconsider if informed that the

jellyfish are harmless

information on the risk of stings is the most important factor

What do we do? GET OUT!!!!!

©Merho

jellypress jellyperception

species species specific in about 50% of

articles general, except for results of

divers

perception on jellyfication

increase only 10% of respondents perceive

increase

key words top 10

washed ashore, overfishing, poison, beach, wind,

sting, foul, slime, nuisance, danger, sea,

global warming, warmth, swim, infestation, tourist

tentacles, pain, transparent, fear

most important causes

Natural causes + global change & overfishing

global change & overfishing

most important threats

fisheries & tourism fisheries & tourism

best solutions jellyfish removal and consumption stop overfishing and pollution,

jellyfish fishing

Jellypress vs. Jellyperception: conclusions

Perception on jellyfish is driven by

1/ personal experience < key words < increase

2/ media < causes, threats, solutions < general apprehension towards jellyfish: drama

Species issue is a key factor!

Beach tourists do not know differences and the image ofjellyfish is negative

Although given by the media, species specific information is not

assimilated by the readers/public

Implications for ICZM: coping with jellies

Variation in perception include all

parties concerned

Request for information Provide

information on species and on

jellyfication

Increased jellyfish

acceptance (Baumann &

Schernewski, 2012)

Opportunity for high quality

citizen science (Boero, 2013)

&

Basis for ICZM plan

& mitigation strategies

Questions?