Dead jellyfish wash up on Cox's Bazar beach

Intense odour causing a nuisance to visitors

OUR CORRESPONDENT | Published: August 04, 2022 23:56:07

Cox's Bazar, Aug 04: Dead jellyfish in their thousands have drifted up on a shore of the Cox's Bazar sea beach in the past one week, causing a stinking odour that is giving trouble to visitors.
The dead fish have started decomposing on the sandy beach polluting the neighbourhood and the locals as well as visitors are keeping themselves aloof to avoid the stench.
Osman Gani, who is in charge of the Sea Safe Guard, said for the past one week, the dead jellyfish have started floating. The highest number of dead jellyfish washed up ashore on the beach on Wednesday and Thursday.
He thinks after the 65-day ban on fishing was lifted, fishermen returned to the sea. While fishing, a lot of jellyfish were caught in their nets. The sea water was heated due to lack of rain and strong waves washed sea creatures up on the beach.
On Thursday afternoon, dead jellyfish were found lying here and there from Naziratek point to Inani beach. Some of them were small and some big. Enthusiastic beach-goers flocked to see the dead jellyfish but they at one stage moved back failing to bear the smell the dead sea creature was giving out.
Experts say no such dead jellyfish have been spotted on the beach in the past one decade. However, they cannot say for sure why the small animal has started dying in such a large number suddenly this way.
Local UP member Nasir Uddin said the fish is known as Nuinna by locals.
The jellyfish (Nuinna) often get caught in fishermen's nets and die in the deep sea. After dying in the deep sea, the fish washes up on the shore.
Holidaymakers Rahman and Liakat said the beach has become polluted due to the stench of dead jellyfish. If they are not removed soon, the beach will turn into an unpleasant one from the stench and people will lose their interest to visit the beach.
District Fisheries Officer Badruzzaman said this is not the time for jellyfish to die. Probably they are getting caught in fishermen's nets and dying near the shore.
Later, the fishermen throw the fish away on the beach. Dead jellyfish spread stench polluting the beach environment. On the other hand, if jellyfish touches the human body, it causes itchy inflammation. Many tourists were found catching the oval-shaped fish out of curiosity.
Additional Superintendent of Police of Cox's Bazar Tourist Police Rezaul Karim said efforts have been made to remove the dead jellyfish from the beach so that the smell does not spread to the area and pollute the environment