Environmental Economics and Giant Jellyfish
January 22nd, 2006
There’s no question that Global Warming will have unpredictable effects. This example, however, could be straight out of a sci-fi book! Whether or not the giant jellyfish populations are increasing due to global warming, this is yet another example of how the health of our global economy depends on the health of our natural ecosystems.
Check out the full post and let us know what you think about how well accepted economic metrics such as GDP measure (or fail to measure) what’s actually valuable to human prosperity.
As designers, do we have the responsibility to design products and services as if there were economic metrics which captured the value inherent in biodiversity, healthy soil, clean water and air?
Popularity: 4% [?]
January 23rd, 2006 at 3:18 pm
Some have suggested that this jellyfish bloom is the result of China constructing new harbors and docks. Dock and pier pilings may create extra space for “baby” jellyfish polyps (kinda like anenomes, where “Nemo” lives) to grow.
More baby jellies >>> more giant Godzilla jellies wreaking havoc on already-depleted fisheries.
This is interesting because:
1) Maybe this could be avoided by better dock/pier/harbor design (maybe with materials discouraging the growth of “fouling organisms.”)
2) A case of unintentional (?) biological/environmental warfare China vs. Japan and other western Pacific fisheries
3) Many prominent fisheries biologists have predicted just this sort of thing. And this is no isolated incedent. Plenty of jellyfish blooms all over the world (maybe natural or not…) The depletion of “regular” fish popultions (e.g. cod, tuna, salmon, sharks, etc.) will likely result in their replacement by non-traditional fish (e.g. jellyfish, comb jellies, bacteria, etc.)
January 23rd, 2006 at 4:33 pm
Maybe I’m mistaken, but I seem to recall that local fishermen are actually eating the excess jellyfish. Which would be cool. Jellyfish I’ve had is kind of like eating . . . chewy ice. Kind of.
January 23rd, 2006 at 5:06 pm
Turns out this species isn’t too palatable. Also, the affected fisheries are worth a whole lotta money. Way more than low-value jellyfish.
Oh yeah, and also that whole biodiversity thing.
January 27th, 2006 at 3:01 pm
For the record, the type of jellyfish in question here is Echizen kurage, or Nomura’s jellyfish, which can weigh up to 200 kg (440 lb) or about two sumo wrestlers.
Apparently some people are using them to make tofu and jellyfish collagen, but seeing as any Echizen kurage caught in a fishing net cause all the fish to be “too poisoned and slimed to be of commercial value”, the future looks grim.
January 30th, 2006 at 8:58 am
“In an attempt to utilize the jellyfish in a productive manner, coastal communities in Japan are doing their best to promote jellyfish as a novelty food, sold dried and salted.” – Wikipedia
Ha, I knew it!
January 8th, 2007 at 1:40 pm
you are a fucked up person major!!! why would you touch that!!!! omg
January 18th, 2007 at 2:33 am
It was said that global warm should be responsible for the jellyfish bloom globally. Fisheries may have some stimulation on it. But I don’t see any direct relationship between jellyfish bloom and new harbors and docks construction as the feedback of marine ecosystem is a long term thing.