There was a 32 per cent increase in sightings of jellyfish around Irish and British waters over the past year, the Marine Conservation Society (MCS) says.
Barrel jellyfish were the most common, according to its annual wildlife sightings report, with 467 sightings in total.
Crystal jellies, comb jellies, and “sea gooseberries” accounted for about ten per cent of the total.
Cornwall and Wales recorded some of the highest figures for the period from October 2022 to September 2023.
As Afloat previously reported, barrel jellyfish which were normally only seen in waters off the southeast Irish coast, were reported last Mayo to be washing up in unusually large numbers along the entire coastline as far as Cork in the past few months.
Sightings were recorded by the National Biodiversity Data Centre (NBDC) from Lough Foyle on the north coast down to west Cork in the south with anecdotal reports of more, according to University College Cork scientist and jellyfish expert Dr Tom Doyle.
Lion's mane, Portuguese man o' war, moon and compass jellyfish were also recorded by the MCS, which has been asking the public to report sightings of jellyfish for the past 20 years.
It reported 12 turtle sightings, four being of the largest sea turtle, the leatherback.
