| The Petroleum Jellyfish |
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Flammable Marine Organism Fuels The World
Of all the species, you might say that the petroleum jellyfish is one of the more unusual inhabitants of the sea, a greasy underwater inhabitant that seems to drift around the oceans without any sense of natural purpose. It seems only to have been placed on this earth as another resource for Man to exploit. The petroleum jellyfish has few natural predators, as it is far too chewy to devour, and tends to get stuck in its enemies' teeth. Plus, the petroleum ooze that the jellyfish emits as a defense mechanism is toxic to most other sea creatures, like eating a marshmallow dipped in gasoline. The petroleum jellyfish is edible, but it is difficult to cook, having a tendency to ignite when heated too quickly. The Japanese prefer to eat it raw, made with special sushi dishes or spread on rice crackers. The petroleum is first leeched out using special hand presses or jellyfish filters. The end product is a delightful chewy delicacy when dipped in soy sauce. Native Indians once used the caustic creatures as a natural lighter fluid for their fires, and also as a weapon, a primitive natural napalm that was thrown against attackers from other warring tribes. It's still used today in firepits and barbecues. Mostly though, the petroleum jellyfish is harvested commercially for its rare oils, used as a lubricant in high performance automobile engines, as a bilge oil for water crafts, and as the filling for gel wrist-rests and computer mousepads. Economically, petroleum jellyfishers have realized the potential for a stronger market for this gooey ocean product, attributable to the high oil prices in the Middle East, and limited oil production in the Gulf Of Mexico. However, the Canadian government has put a limit on jellyfish catches, in order to protect its numbers, so that the petroleum jellyfish doesn't face extinction, like the lubricated seal or the grease monkey. Harvesting is tricky, as the jellyfish tend to ooze through traditional fishing nets. Instead, they have to be sucked out of the ocean using powerful customized vacuum hoses and stored in large saltwater tanks. They are then taken to petroleum jellyfish refineries for processing, where the petroleum is chemically separated from the organisms. The petroleum products are then sold to companies like Petro-Canada, Exxon, and Davesemenk Co., while the petroleum jellyfish by-products are exported to other countries like Great Britain, where it is used in marmalades or as a gelatin substitute. Growing demands from a fossil-fuel and marine fuel-driven world is putting increased pressures on the jellyfishing industry. But despite the over-jellyfishing of our oceans, the petroleum jellyfish continues to thrive in its own flammable aquatic environment.
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