Estepona Council takes up jellyfish battle

JELLYFISH are to be removed from Estepona beaches thanks to new efforts by the town council.
Estepona Council announced a new boat would start patrolling the coast with the goal of getting rid of all jellyfish. Head of the Coasts Department, Susana Aragon, explained that the council was putting the final details to an agreement between them and the local fishing brotherhood to put this project in motion.
“Despite not facing a plague like the one in 2012, we have made the decision to reinforce the anti-jellyfish service as we believe our beaches need to be in the best condition possible,” said Ms Aragon, who also explained that two boats would sail along the coast both in the mornings and afternoons.
The extreme temperatures together with the high level of salt resulting from little rain during winter are the main reasons behind the jellyfish proliferation. In addition, the disappearance of sea turtles – the main predator for jellyfish – from Mediterranean waters, has also contributed.