A diver attaches a sensor to a Nomura's jellyfish off the coast of northern Japan in October 2005.
Posted on 07/19/2009 5:25:17 PM PDT by JoeProBono
Giant jellyfish descend on the Sea of Japan, causing untold devastation to coastal villages and leaving a trail of destruction and human misery behind. Sounds like a great sci-fi flick. But it's not. It's real and it's a nightmare for Japanese fishermen.
The massive sea creatures, called Nomura's jellyfish, can grow 6 feet in diameter and weigh more than 450 pounds. Scientists think they originate in the Yellow Sea and in Chinese waters. For the third year since 2005, ocean currents are transporting them into the Sea of Japan. Monty Williams, a marine biologist at Alabama's Dauphin Island Sea Lab, said the jellyfish grow to an enormous size as they are transported by ocean currents. He said they stay together in packs and as they drift northward, they get caught in fishermen's nets.
The giant jellyfish are one of about 200 species of coastal jellyfish or large jellyfish that exist around the world. But Nomura's stands out because of its enormous size.
(Excerpt) Read more at cnn.com ...
A diver attaches a sensor to a Nomura's jellyfish off the coast of northern Japan in October 2005.
Those are some big-ass jelly fish! Yikes!
CALLING AL GORP—CALLING AL GORP!!!
Jellyfish have always seemed otherworldly to me.
“the blob” w/ stinging tentacles
Goats seem pretty otherworldly too. Something about those funky eyes.
Almost haiku.
Not quite.
Are they as good as calamari? Do they sting?
Why can’t they be used for “something’
Just sayin !!!
Are they edible?
Makes me wonder if that goo that has shown up floating on the water near AK is some leftovers of one of these giants!
“Are they edible?”
Yes, with Skippy peanut butter on wonder white bread :-)
“Are they as good as calamari? Do they sting?”
I’ll bet they do sting.. and consume as well!
n the meantime locals are making the best of it — rather than just complaining about jellyfish they are eating them.
Jellyfish are an unusual ingredient of Japanese cuisine but are much more prized in China. Coastal communities are doing their best to promote jellyfish as a novelty food, sold dried and salted.
Students in Obama have managed to turn them into tofu, and jellyfish collagen is reported to be beneficial to the skin.
Looks like a lot of trouble for food.
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How to Soften and Prepare Jellyfish
Jellyfish are salted and flaccid to the touch. Strictly speaking they are preserved, not dried. The best kind is amber in color, large thick and firm pieces. It doesn’t have any special taste of its own but its gelatinous texture is highly enjoyable. Usually used in salad and indispensable in assorted cold starters.
To soften the jellyfish:
1. Since it is difficult to cut it flat, roll it tightly and cut into 1 to 2 inches pieces.
2. Drop in the jellyfish in plenty of hot water, separating pieces. Cook, stirring with chopsticks.
3. When it is cooked and starts shrinking, drain on a colander and drop into cold water.
4. Wash well under cold water to soften and to draw excess salt.
5. Immerse in cold water for 1 to 3 days to draw salt.
Simple jellyfish recipe as snack
Cut into very fine shreds and serve with a seasoning sauce of 1 tsp. sesame oil, 1 tsp. light soy sauce, ½ tsp white vinegar, ½ tsp. sugar and a pinch of MSG (these quantities are sufficient for 2 sheets of jellyfish)
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I suggest fertilizer !!!
Good Lord. Are those photos real? I am afraid of the little ones.
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