Beachgoers at Mumbai’s Girgaon Chowpatty have once again encountered an unusual visitor—blue button jellyfish. Known for their vibrant blue color and stinging tentacles, these jellyfish have been appearing more frequently along shorelines, sparking questions about the environmental factors driving this trend.

Indian Express photographer Ganesh Shirsekar, who captured images of these marine creatures, noted, “I found them scattered along Girgaon Chowpatty beach. They typically wash up around Ganpati Visarjan each year, but this year they arrived much earlier.”

While the sight of these jellyfish can be visually striking, their increasing presence often indicates shifts in oceanic conditions that may affect both marine life and human activities. Several factors are believed to contribute to the rise in jellyfish blooms:

Environmental Conditions Driving Jellyfish Blooms
Vishal Kumar, CEO of Waste Warriors, explains, “Jellyfish blooms, including blue button jellyfish (Porpita Porpita), are influenced by environmental factors such as water temperature, salinity, ocean currents, and nutrient availability. These conditions create favorable environments for jellyfish to reproduce and thrive.”

Rising sea temperatures, often linked to climate change, can speed up jellyfish reproduction rates and extend their seasonal presence. Warmer waters may also cause jellyfish to migrate from their usual habitats to new areas, leading to more frequent blooms near coastlines.

Factors Increasing Jellyfish Frequency Near Shorelines
According to Kumar, the rising frequency of blue button jellyfish near shorelines is influenced by several urban coastal factors:

• Coastal Urbanization: Urban development along coastlines can alter natural habitats. Structures like piers and breakwaters may trap jellyfish in bays and near shorelines.
• Pollution and Eutrophication: Urban runoff, sewage discharge, and agricultural runoff can increase nutrient levels in coastal waters, leading to eutrophication. This nutrient overload causes plankton blooms, which are a primary food source for jellyfish, promoting their proliferation.
• Climate Change: Human-induced climate change contributes to warming oceans, a major driver of jellyfish blooms. Increased ocean temperatures and acidification have shifted marine species distributions.
• Overfishing: The depletion of jellyfish predators, such as certain fish species and sea turtles, due to overfishing, can result in increased jellyfish populations.

Measures to Address Jellyfish Blooms
To manage jellyfish blooms and reduce risks for beachgoers, a combination of public awareness, coastal management, and environmental actions is essential:

• Public Awareness and Education: Educating the public about jellyfish risks, particularly during bloom seasons, can help prevent stings and injuries. Beachgoers should learn to recognize jellyfish, practice safe swimming, and know how to treat stings.
• Monitoring and Forecasting: Regular monitoring of jellyfish populations and environmental conditions can help predict blooms and provide early warnings to the public, aiding in beach management during high-risk periods.
• Environmental Management: Reducing pollution and improving waste management along coastlines can address some factors contributing to jellyfish blooms. Controlling nutrient runoff from agriculture and urban areas can help prevent eutrophication.
• Promoting Sustainable Fishing Practices: Encouraging sustainable fishing can help restore marine ecosystem balance, preserving natural jellyfish predators and competitors. A balanced ecosystem is less likely to experience unchecked jellyfish blooms.