Large jellyfish spotted off coast of Brittany
The species is harmless despite its striking appearance
Jellyfish sightings happen all-year round in France
Image credit: Ahn Ahn
Enormous cauliflower jellyfish have been spotted in northwest France and photographer Ahn Ahn was able to get close enough to take a picture of one.
They were seen off the coast between Gâvres and Groix on April 27, with Ahn estimating one measured almost 1 metre in size.
“They have a huge, very smooth cap that rises out of the water when they’re at the surface — that’s how you spot them. We were able to get as close as 5 metres.” she said to The Connexion.
For Ahn, it was the first time she saw them out in the open sea, “they have very beautiful tentacles, all scalloped; it’s really pretty. I had seen some before, but washed up on the beach, not out in the open sea, and especially not this many. We saw four in a short time.”
However, the species is not considered dangerous according to Roman Portanguen of the Observatoire du Plancton.
“People think of jellyfish as something that will necessarily sting, but that’s not really the case here,” he explained. “Some people with sensitive skin may experience mild irritation, but most people who come into contact with them are not affected.” he said to The Connexion.
He stressed, however, that they should not be touched. “If you encounter them at sea or on the beach, don’t touch them. And if they are stranded, don’t put them back in the water or bury them in the sand.”
In the event of a sting, he advises rinsing the area with seawater if possible, otherwise gently applying sand and carefully rubbing can assist in removing remaining stinging cells without triggering them further.
Sightings of cauliflower jellyfish tend to increase from spring through summer, when warmer waters and food availability (mainly plankton and small marine organisms) support their development.
However, Mr Portanguen notes that temperature alone is not the only factor, as ocean currents and prey distribution also play an important role.
While jellyfish are often associated with the Mediterranean, he adds that they are also common along the Atlantic coast, including Brittany.
“There is no beach that is completely protected from jellyfish,” he said. “Even in relatively enclosed areas like the Petite Mer de Gâvres, you can occasionally find them. They are rare there, but not impossible to see.”
He added that sightings happen all-year round, though they often go unnoticed in colder months because fewer people are on the beaches.
