Protecting the public from hazardous jellyfish: a wicked problem for regulators and operators?

Protecting the public from hazardous jellyfish: a wicked problem for regulators and operators?

In many coastal tourism regions of the world, harmful jellyfish present a health and safety hazard to beachgoers, divers, fishermen, and indeed anyone who enters the water. In tropical Australia, for example, jellyfish present a persistent, if not escalating, life-threatening risk at beaches as well as off-shore diving and snorkelling sites. Tension exists between the need for safer practices and the risk of deterring business. The enigmatic character of jellyfish and the stinging hazard they create makes them a challenge for public officials to manage, and may in this sense be perceived as a ‘wicked’ problem. Wicked problems are typically understood as being complex, stubborn, difficult to predict and solve, and concern multiple stakeholders with conflicting interests, values and perspectives. Conceptualising jellyfish as a wicked problem enables us to begin ‘grasping the big picture’. Part of the big picture is being able to predict when and where harmful jellyfish will be present. Most current risk management strategies assume jellyfish are unpredictable. As outlined in another chapter in this book, a jellyfish risk prediction system can shift the paradigm to one of manageability. This chapter considers key government jellyfish risk management strategies that could arguably be more effective in reducing sting incidents if a reliable prediction system existed and clear disclosure of jellyfish risks and preventions were required by recreational tourism operators and beach authorities. The first critically analysed strategy is the use of purpose-built jellyfish-resistant swimming enclosures and warning signs at high risk, high use beaches. The second strategy is the implementation of a regime of Workplace Health and Safety regulation compelling recreational diving and snorkelling providers to protect their customers from jellyfish hazards. The underlying theme of the critiques is that reliable sting protective swimwear exists but is not consistently worn or widely and adequately promoted. Developing effective ways to tackle jellyfish problems is an evolving process. This entails informed innovative approaches by governments and greater collaboration by all stakeholders including tourism industry representatives, researchers, and the public. Arguably, the development of an effective jellyfish forecasting system may well be the missing link to addressing this problem.

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