Jellyfish in second salmon sting

Wind and tidal factors brought the jellyfish to northern waters

Deadly jellyfish have attacked Northern Ireland's only salmon farm for a second time in two weeks.

More than 150,000 young salmon in cages off the County Antrim coast were killed on Friday after billions of jellyfish flooded in, stinging the fish.

It had been thought that last week's attack was a freak event.

Northern Salmon warned after the first attack that it could lose £1m, and has renewed its call for financial help from the Northern Ireland Executive.

This latest jellyfish invasion took place in Red Bay, off the coast at Waterfoot, a few miles down the coast from where the last attack happened.

Financial help from the government is being ruled out at the moment by Agriculture Minister Michelle Gildernew.

The density of jellyfish stopped workers from reaching cages Enlarge Image

She said on Thursday that budgets were already fixed but further talks would take place with her colleagues in the Executive.

The company has some high-profile clients, with Irish chef Richard Corrigan serving Glenarm salmon to the Queen on her 80th birthday last year as part of the BBC's Great British Menu programme.

In recent years, increasing numbers of mauve stinger jellyfish in the Mediterranean have posed a danger for swimmers.

Their presence in the colder northern waters is thought to be due to wind and tidal factors.