River of oil? Jellyfish on floridas east coast!!! Sharks & Rays in North Carolina!

Is this the evidence of a mass migration?

Update: See This post in this thread for more information and pictures of odd numbers of deep water fish (sharks, rays, etc) being seen in the surf on the beaches of North Carolina!

Does this point to a river of oil off the shelf of the east coast of the US?

[edit on 25-6-2010 by HunkaHunka]

If I could identify types of jellyfish, I would, believe me.

Anyone know what species they are?

I'll tell you, if you think this is only effecting migration patterns in the Gulf think again. I live in North Carolina for most of my life and fish nearly every day in summer when I can. I'm seeing more open water fish coming closer to shore than I've ever seen before.

The jellyfish is a moon jelly fish.

It was stated in the article.

And this is interesting thanks for the post.

Best guess. Moon jellyfish.

en.wikipedia.org...

The article comments suggest that they have been seen in the past in that area -- I'm doubting it is evidence for mass migration.

“You gotta be very careful, or you will step on them easily, because they're clear, so you really can't see them,” said beachgoer Cheryl Parmelee.

If they don't get the oil stopped in the gulf soon, at least this part won't be a problem anymore.

Originally posted by Moriarty
I'll tell you, if you think this is only effecting migration patterns in the Gulf think again. I live in North Carolina for most of my life and fish nearly every day in summer when I can. I'm seeing more open water fish coming closer to shore than I've ever seen before.

Can you give us some more details?

What types of fish?

Photos perhaps?

Thanks!

www.n-the-florida-keys.com...

Diving through a wall of Moon Jellyfish in the waters of Florida Keys turned out to be one of the most fascinating dives to this day. It was a gripping site to be sure.

My long time dive partner Howie and I decided we had the time so let’s go dive for lobsters. It was September. I knew the Moon jelly’s had began to show up on the coral reef out front. But I had no idea they were here in such great numbers. They usually begin to show up here in the Florida Keys each year in late August.

.

www.youtube.com...

I highly doubt mass migration..More likely an effect of the extreme and erratic weather and the fact the oil is destroying their ocean/HOME.

I have seen hundreds of those moon jellies washed up on the beach in a single morning, two years in a row in the outer banks of North Carolina.

reply to post by HunkaHunka

People from New Jersey recognize them, but people from Florida don't seem to? Why would they be going south?

Aurelias species are a very common yellyfish.They just move with the currents eating zooplankton.
I used to breed these species by the thousands for public aquaria.
Altough the oilspill has a incredible inpact on wildlife I suspect these sightings has nothing to do with it.

Originally posted by ~Lucidity
reply to post by HunkaHunka

 

People from New Jersey recognize them, but people from Florida don't seem to? Why would they be going south?

Well it also looks like they are normal in the Keys...

For some reason this article makes it seem like they are not seen there in Smyrna....

Originally posted by JBA2848
www.n-the-florida-keys.com...

Diving through a wall of Moon Jellyfish in the waters of Florida Keys turned out to be one of the most fascinating dives to this day. It was a gripping site to be sure.

My long time dive partner Howie and I decided we had the time so let’s go dive for lobsters. It was September. I knew the Moon jelly’s had began to show up on the coral reef out front. But I had no idea they were here in such great numbers. They usually begin to show up here in the Florida Keys each year in late August.

.

www.youtube.com...

Down here, jellyfish wash up on the shores en masse seasonally. Their life spans are only a matter of months long and when it's the season, their remains come in with the tide.

It's nothing unusual really. From what I understand and have seen, it's just part of their life cycles.

I also quickly scanned some of the comments on the main reference source and locals were saying the same thing- that this happens over there as well.

Is it possible that article is being sensationalist? For example, if we have a headline down here 'thousands of jellyfish wash ashore! Results from the spill? Toxic dumping? A preclude to a tsunami!?!' When it turns out it's standard and happens all the time.

?

reply to post by HunkaHunka


Sure no problem. Any one who has experience in deep sea fishing knows that there are offshore fish species and in-shore species. Frequently they converge ea. you'll see a few mahi in the shallows on occasion even though they are typically an open water species. Now, I'm seeing schools of them far closer to shore. Mackerel too, I can't believe the numbers I'm seeing of them. They actually migrate up the coast from the Gulf so I'm thinking they're hugging the shore from down Florida all the way up here. I'm seeing tons of rays and bell jellyfish right off the beach. Bull sharks are being caught with increasing frequency off our piers and are starting to brave the inlets and rivers . Seeing a lot of tigers and hammerheads. Buddy of mine said the other day he sighted three great whites within a week no more then 400 ft from shore while cruising along the coast, and you hardly see them here.


scallop hammerhead we picked up in the surf right off the beach.


Coastal Carolina always has these jellies but you can't walk 10 feet without seeing a bunch washed up.


Last Thursday we had a huge ray wash up, can't ever recall that happening

reply to post by Moriarty


Wow.... Thank you for the detail and the pictures...

You see, I'm thinking something very similar...

Notice the other day this thread about traces of oil being detected off the coast of Jacksonville Florida... now that's on the east coast...

Then... if you check out this video you will see that according to the model based on MUCH earlier estimates of the bpd being leaked, that between day 70 and day 80, the oil makes it up the coast...


[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/168575a024e6.png[/atsimg]


As it does this it creates a closed envelope that slowly moves up the coast...

But... that was based on earlier estimates.... and who knows how much oil is under the water in the basins... and if you see how the "loop" works it follows the bathymetery of the gulf.

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/d71501320206.jpg[/atsimg]



Which also show maps to the predictions...


Now add in the oily shrimp picked up off the coast of Key West on ***MAY 27th***

I think we have ourselves an oil river that already stretches up and down the outer shelf of the atlantic coast...

What do you think?

[edit on 25-6-2010 by HunkaHunka]

reply to post by HunkaHunka


The thing is people simply don't understand how much distance these creatures can cover and how quickly they can do it. Spanish mackerel as I said migrate from the gulf area around Florida all the way up past the Carolinas. Anyone who has spent time on the water will tell you these animals aren't dumb they actually have long active memories of at least a few weeks. Thats how salmon are able to return to the stream they were born in. I think these schools are clearly reacting to whats happening down in the Gulf and are hugging the coast line as much as they can all the way up the migratory route.

I know that the NC state government has an action plan ready to go......or so they say. I've seen reports of the Coast Guard picking up tar balls from the Keys in the beginning of May.....almost 2 months ago....I have no doubt something has made its presence known off the eastern coastlines that the inhabitants aren't likely. IMHO all more than oil is coming out of that well, we're all too busy watching for oil to come ashore I think we're forgetting the invisible chemical changes that we can't see which may have been picked up by the currents and taken up the coast. It may not be oil but we certainly have a possible river of something out there.



[edit on 25-6-2010 by Moriarty]

reply to post by Moriarty


If not a river of oil up and down the shelf...

Then why would these animals hug the coast line? Warmer waters? What's your thoughts?

reply to post by HunkaHunka



It may very well be trace amounts of oil they are getting away from but I think a better theory is that we have a river of all the other junk rocketing out of that well casing- the methane lowering oxygen levels, that toxic dispersant-stuff we really can not see. Remember an oil slick is harder to move than just ordinary sea water which these chemicals have been mixed with so its natural to expect this to make its way up the coast before the actual oil does. They're talking about the formation of a death zone in the gulf, its being caused not just by the oil but by whats coming out with it to a larger degree. i think we may be seeing parts of that death zone being picked up by the currents and taken along the coast and the animals are getting a whiff of this "smoke" and getting out of dodge before they see the fire (the actual oil)

I personally don't think anything has made it that far up yet though the NC gov is expecting something to arrive in the near future. I still believe the primary cause is a domino effect, migrating fish from the gulf are staying close to shore and this is causing the others to follow. Probably will increase as chemicals and oil slink its way up the coast.

[edit on 25-6-2010 by Moriarty]