Warning issued after Portuguese Man-o-war found on Jersey beach

Thursday 21 September 2017

Beachgoers are being asked to keep an eye out for any Portuguese Man-o-war that wash up on Jersey beaches after one was spotted at St Ouen.

Islanders are being asked to report any sightings but not to touch the jellyfish-like creatures as their sting can be painful.

The Portuguese man-o-war is a blue-purple marine animal, similar in appearance to a jellyfish, called a siphonophore. Also known as 'floating terror,' its tentacles can cause a painful sting which can be fatal in very rare cases. Stings can occur in the water but also on land when the man-o-war washes up on beaches.

Caroline Maffia, Assistant Director of Environmental Health, said: "Pain from a Portuguese man-o-war sting typically lasts 15 to 20 minutes and you treat it differently to a jellyfish sting."

She also gave a list of advice on what steps to take if someone gets stung:

• if you’re in the sea, get out of the water
• as soon as possible, rinse the area with vinegar to remove the man-o-war tentacles
• when you can, immerse the affected area in hot water (as hot as you can handle, without burning the skin), or apply a hot pack for 45 minutes
• avoid the use of urine, it doesn’t relieve the sting and can make it worse
• If the pain continues, treat with local anaesthetic gels and other forms of pain relief from a pharmacy
• dial 999 if someone needs emergency help

Officers from the Department of the Environment are working closely with their colleagues at Jersey Coastguard to raise awareness of the risk of being stung, and how to deal with stings. 

Pictured: The Portuguese man-o-war that washed up on Jersey's shore yesterday.

A number of Portuguese Man-o-war have been found in Guernsey in the last week, with hundreds more washing up on beaches in the UK.