Elamkunnappuzha: Fishing activities in the Veeranpuzha backwaters, once a bustling hub for local fishermen, have come to a complete halt as the waters are now swarming with jellyfish. Many fishermen who depend on the backwaters for their livelihood are left without work.

These jellyfish, with their umbrella-shaped bodies and long tentacles, are not fish. While some are harmless, others can be venomous. Most nets cast into the river end up catching jellyfish, which fishermen collect and release back into the water. To make matters worse, the jellyfish often tear the fishing nets, adding to the fishermen’s woes.

“With the jellyfish invading the waters, we are also forced to spend time and effort repairing our nets without earning anything,” says C D Anilkumar, a local fisherman.

Meanwhile, the jellyfish are now spreading from the waterbody into nearby pokkali fields, where shrimp cultivation is ongoing.Fish farmers are concerned that this influx could threaten other aquatic species, including shrimp, in these enclosures.