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Portuguese man o’ war warning for Jersey beaches

BBC A Portuguese man o' warBBC
The Portuguese man o' war washed up at St Ouen's beach

Beach-goers in Jersey are being urged to be cautious after the discovery of a Portuguese man o' war.

It was identified at St Ouen's beach and removed.

Islanders are being warned not to touch any that wash up and to report sightings to Environment and Consumer Protection.

The government said a sting was unlikely to have serious consequences to health, but the pain following it could last 15 to 20 minutes.

Despite looking similar to jellyfish, Portuguese man o' war are siphonophores.

They live at the surface of the water using their balloon-like float as a sail to propel them along, with long tentacles trailing underneath to capture prey.

If stung, government advice is to:

  • Get out of the water
  • Rinse the area with sea water
  • Remove any spines from the skin using tweezers
  • Immerse the affected area in hot water
  • Use local anaesthetic gels or pain relief or visit your GP if the pain persists beyond a few hours
  • Dial 999 should anyone require emergency assistance.
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