Report No.230305
Vol.23 No. 3 November 2005

- Topics -

Nomura's Jellyfish, Ocean Trouble-maker, Tested for Soil Nutrition

The government of Tottori prefecture is testing to see if use can be of Echizen Kurage [Nomura's jellyfish] for soil improvement, for they have been particularly rampant this season and wreaking havoc on inshore fishing of Japan. The test is being made by plowing them directly into fields of Japanese radish. If it could develop as a practical technique, that will achieve "killing two birds with one stone," i.e. disposing unwanted jellyfish and improving soil, and expectations run high among people in agriculture and in fisheries.

Nomura's jellyfish is a monster with an umbrella of one meter in diameter and weighs over 100 kg. Analysis by the prefecture agriculture station found that it contains much magnesium and other minerals in addition to nitrogen. The test use has begun at the end of August. 

Nomura's jellyfish is 96% sea water. But researchers aren't worried of the effect of salt because "a several days after the jellyfish had been plowed in, weeds started growing; sea weeds used to be fertilizer in the old days." The prefecture government would try the test also with multiple-stem onions and taros. 

On the other hand, though, some express anxiety saying "While rich nutrition of the jellyfish is a valuable resource, cost of transportation and the brine effect that may emerge after long-term use are causes of concern."
   
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