Anyone know what this is?

[IwakuniDiver]

I have been seeing this snot-like substance in the waters around Japan more and more recently.

Anyone know if it is some kind of mass algae bloom? They don't appear to be alive and don't seem to have any uniform shape. Also, I have seen this before but it's always been confined to 15fsw and up. Last Sunday, it was pretty constant all the way down to 134fsw!

I sure hope it's just seasonal and goes away when the waters cool for the winter! It's driving my camera (and me) mad!

 

[fisherdvm]

I'll bet it would look cool under a microscope. Why don't you suck up a little to the crud, centrifuge it, and put the sediment under a microscope?? I am sure the local vet or high school biology teacher would love to look at it with you.

 

[buff]

Thats "backscatter"...haha...

I don't know what that is..but I always hate seeing "new" things in the ocean...is usually pollution, non-native species, etc.

Hopefully, it just is seasonal.

 

[lascuba]

we call it whale snot.

 

[Griff_1984]

what time of year was this taken?
it looks to me like a large bloom of Juvenile jellies medusa forms, they are key in the zooplankton. i would take a guess this was taken late spring- summer time, just after a major phytoplankton bloom which provides food for the zooplankon of various types.
my advise would be get a sample in a bottle, and look at in under 10-15 x magnification. it should be clear then if you are looking at many little gelationus bodied organsms. if u can get a photo put it up and i will be able to be more specific.
the other possibiliy is eggs and sperm for a recent spawning event, for that kinda mess it would have to be a very prolific species. my knowledge of Japans waters is limited, i'm from the uk and do most of my work here.
i doubt it is snot, but u never know, moby might have a cold.


Griff