The company Bionaturis, working for the Andalucia Technological Corporation, has just completed a scientific study of the causes of the 'blooms' of jellyfish which are common during the summer months and the possible industrial advantage that could be taken of the proliferation of this often undesired visitor off our beaches. The project counted on the participation of the Posidonia Sur research group from the University of Malaga and the Oceanographic Centre in Malaga and had the support of the Andalucian Research and Development Agency and the DAP (fishing and farming development) which let them use their ship the Regina Maris for the oceanographic studies.
The study concluded that the proliferation of jellyfish in recent years is the result of overfishing in the area and the reduction of turtle numbers both of which have reduced competition for food, and higher water temperatures (attributed to global warming).
The study concluded that the use of these creatures, 16,000 kilos of which were collected off the Andalucian coast last year, with most possibilities in the future is in the manufacture of fertiliser for use in agriculture. Their composition; 95% water and the rest almost all protein, with almost no fat, carbohydrates or cholesterol, makes them an excellent and healthy food source, something known in many Asian communities for centuries where they are often eaten in salads or made into a kind of biscuit, but unaccustomed as we are to such delicacies Bionaturis suggest using them for the manufacture of animal feed. The other alternative is their use in cosmetic products due to their high content of collagen. Have you ever seen a jellyfish with wrinkles?
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