Jelly Fish: Mother Nature’s Protector

In this installation we examine the emergence of Jellyfish as one of the planet’s first creatures and their recent proliferation. Jellyfish have proven themselves to be a protector of the earth’s oceans and waterways. We say this because since the mid 1970′s jellyfish have clogged nuclear reactors around the globe causing them to shut down for up to a day a time in order to clear this primordial protector from the reactors cooling tanks. In 2007, jellyfish destroyed northern Ireland’s only salmon farm and billion dollar industry. In just seven hours, 100,000 Salmon were decimated by a smack of tiny red Jellyfish spanning ten square miles 35 feet thick. Other EU fish farms have been attacked as well. On the other hand, there are edible Jellyfish that offer loads of protein and could potentially end world hunger provided most cultures around the world loose their stigma to this mystery of the sea. Jellyfish are also being looked at as a future source of bio fuel because of the high amounts of Methane they produce while decomposing. Researchers are now working on ways to capture that methane to fuel cars, heat homes, etc. One could also view the giant Namuri jellyfish as a protector of the sea in Japan because of their massive size. On average a large Namuri is 6 1/2 feet around, weighs approximately 450 pounds, and has tentacles that can grow as long as 50 yards. The Namuri fill nets rather than fish and have caused considerable damage to the commercial fishing industry in the area. Nothing can be said for sure except these magnificent creatures of the deep certainly appear alien and provide much room for thought and intrigue.