Unusual phenomenon on beaches around Croatian town of Nin

(Photo credit: Toč Fesitval)

An interesting phenomenon these days has been spotted on the beaches around the Croatian coastal town of Nin near Zadar, says the Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries in Split.

Hundreds of stranded transparent jelly-like forms, which are likely remnants of jellyfish brought to the beach by the waves, have been observed and were brought to their attention by the Toč Festival. 

“It is only the mesogleal disc, a layer of tissue that lacks living cells. The rest of the organic tissue, crucial for determining the type of jellyfish, is not visible in this case, and it is likely that other marine organisms have consumed it, suggesting that the jellyfish did not strand while alive but that the process of jellyfish carcass occurred earlier, in the seawater,” the Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries in Split said on its Facebook page.

The institute says that it is important to monitor the appearance of all gelatinous planktonic organisms because their massive presence can have a harmful impact on the marine ecosystem and fisheries as an economic sector.

“The obtained data enable us to make a faster and more realistic assessment of the extent of affected areas in the long term. Therefore, all reports on jellyfish and other gelatinous organisms, whether alive or stranded, sent to us by citizens, are a significant source of information, and we are very grateful for every such report,” the concluded.