jellyfish (Cnidaria, Scyphozoa) blooms appear to be increasing in both intensity and frequency in many coastal areas worldwide, due to multiple hypothesized anthropogenic stressors. Here, we propose that the proliferation of artificial structures-associated with (1) the exponential growth in shipping, aquaculture, and other coastal industries, and (2) coastal protection (collectively, "ocean sprawl")-provides habitat for jellyfish polyps and may be an important driver of the global increase in jellyfish blooms. However, the habitat of the benthic polyps that commonly result in coastal jellyfish blooms has remained elusive, limiting our understanding of the drivers of these blooms. Support for the hypothesized role of ocean sprawl in promoting jellyfish blooms is provided by observations and experimental evidence demonstrating that jellyfish larvae settle in large numbers on artificial structures in coastal waters and develop into dense concentrations of jellyfish-producing polyps.

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Linking human well-being and jellyfish WM Graham et al. 516www.frontiersinecology.org

Jellyfish (primarily scyphomedusae) fisheries have a long history in Asia, where jellyfish have been caught and processed as food for centuries. More recently, jellyfish fisheries have expanded to the Western Hemisphere, often driven by demand from Asian buyers and collapses of more traditional local fish stocks. Jellyfish fisheries have been attempted in numerous countries in North, Central, and South America, with varying degrees of success. Here, we chronicle the arrival of jellyfish fisheries in the Americas and summarize relevant information on jellyfish fishing, processing, and management. Processing technology for edible jellyfish has not advanced, and presents major concerns for environmental and human health. The development of alternative processing technologies would help to eliminate these concerns and may open up new opportunities for markets and species. We also examine the biodiversity of jellyfish species that are targeted for fisheries in the Americas. Establishment of new jellyfish fisheries appears possible, but requires a specific combination of factors including high 123Rev Fish Biol Fisheries DOI 10.1007/s11160-016-9445-y abundances of particular species, processing knowledge dictated by the target market, and either inexpensive labor or industrialized processing facilities. More often than not, these factors are not altogether evaluated prior to attempting a new jellyfish fishery. As such, jellyfish fisheries are currently expanding much more rapidly than research on the subject, thereby putting ecosystems and stakeholders' livelihoods at risk.

Whether jellyfish are increasing or not in the global ocean is a subject of some debate, but the fact remains that when they bloom, jellyfish can negatively affect local economies. Despite this, there has been no robust debate about the idea of deliberately removing jellyfish as a means of population control. Here, we discuss the effects of fishing for jellyfish, either as a sustainable resource and/or as a way to simply reduce their nuisance value, on both individual jellyfish populations and the ecosystem. Given that the drivers influencing each local bloom are different, or that the effects of more widespread drivers may be manifested differently at each locale, our priority at population control/use needs to be more basic research on jellyfish. While we do not advocate a no-fishing approach, we emphasize the need to be cautious in embracing jellyfish fisheries as a panacea and we need to consider the management of each bloom on a case-by-case basis.

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