Venezuelan fisherman: Invasive jellyfish bloom “like flowers in the sea”

A recent Cannonball Jellyfish bloom off the coast of Venezuela is a major concern for the seafood industry that fish those waters.

Cannonball Jellyfish have made their way to the Caribbean Sea off the coast of Venezuela. The recent bloom is causing major concerns for the seafood industry that fishes in those waters. Current fishing levels in the area are at their lowest level in years, according to analyst reports.

One fisherman says he has never seen anything like it before, describing the phenomenon, “it is like flowers in the sea.”

The invasive species, cannonball jellyfish, are filling nets instead of fishermen’s usual catches. Fishermen reported that sardines and other fishing bait have disappeared.

Fishermen used to bring in around 11,000 pounds of fish a week and now it has dropped to just 2,000. Researchers fear this could happen worldwide due to the changing climate and warming waters.