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Date Published: 25/06/2024

Here are the areas of the Mar Menor where jellyfish nets will be installed this summer

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The Murcia government has committed to only placing nets where they are absolutely necessary in order to protect the lagoon

Here are the areas of the Mar Menor where jellyfish nets will be installed this summer

The regional government of Murcia is taking proactive steps to ensure the safety and enjoyment of beachgoers this summer. In response to the recent proliferation of jellyfish in the Mar Menor, they have announced the installation of anti-jellyfish nets in specific areas.

This “almost surgical” intervention aims to strike a balance between protecting swimmers and preserving the delicate ecosystem of the lagoon.

The government plans to strategically place the nets in certain areas where the presence of jellyfish is incompatible with swimming, ensuring that the ecosystem of the lagoon remains undisturbed.

This targeted approach will focus on areas where the unpopular creatures have appeared en masse in the past, but the authorities are anxious to minimise any potential impact on the natural environment at the same time.

At the moment, all signs are positive. A meeting of the Government’s Scientific Advisory Committee revealed that oxygen levels in the Mar Menor do not present worrying signs of hypoxia, with levels above the threshold considered normal. Additionally, chlorophyll and turbidity levels are low, indicating excellent water transparency.

While the torrential rains of June 12 brought higher nutrient inputs, the ecosystem has since reabsorbed them, maintaining levels within regulatory limits.

The question of nets has arisen because one of the main jellyfish species in the Mar Menor, known as ‘fried egg’ or Cotylorhiza tuberculata, experienced a sudden population boom due to rising water temperatures in mid-May.

Similar to last summer, they are expected to be mainly focused on the northern basin of the Mar Menor, the Veneziola area and the inner shores of San Pedro del Pinatar and Los Nietos. While fried egg jellyfish stings are not dangerous to humans, large populations of them can make swimming difficult and annoying.

Once installed, the anti-jellyfish nets will be regularly maintained, with checks to release any entangled seahorses. Measures will also be taken to prevent jellyfish pockets and accumulations from reaching the swimming areas.

Additionally, the government plans to install no more than 40 linear kilometres of nets, as jellyfish play an important role in the ecosystem’s trophic chain and nutrient regulation.

Last summer, despite their great proliferation, most specimens did not develop into reproductive adults, as the level of zooplankton was very low, as is also the case this year.