By Andrew Atkinson
Fishermen are on standby following the Portuguese man’o war appearing in the Mediterranean sea area of La Mata that lead to Torrevieja city council employees removing them along the shores as holidaymakers return to the beaches after coronavirus lockdown.
Three years ago some beaches were closed along the Costa Blanca south, due to masses of the Portuguese man’o war that has a nasty sting and has seen victims treated in hospital.
The annual arrival along the Costa Blanca shores of the Physalia physalis, blue bottle or false jellyfish, are seen in the Mediterranean sea and washed ashore.
The Portuguese man’o war reaches the Mediterranean, via the passage of the Strait of Gibraltar.
In 2018 masses of Portuguese man’o war led to closure of beaches.
In recent years fishermen have been employed by councils in to net the Portuguese man’o war that arrive in Spain by winds, tides and sea currents, visible by dangling tentacles.
At present masses of the Portuguese man’o war haven’t arrived along the Costa Blanca south coast – but the fishermen are on standby with nets, if needed.
