An international team of researchers are attempting to find ways to forecast the movements of Portuguese man-of-war.

According to the Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences’ Currents newsletter, the study was recently launched in Northern Spain, where Portuguese man-of-war have become increasingly common, occasionally causing beach closures.

Often mistaken for jellyfish, Portuguese man-of-war are floating colonies of organisms that are transported over the seas by winds and ocean currents.

However, predicting where and when they will drift has been a challenge.

Through the study, the Spanish Institute of Oceanography, the Asturias Marine Observatory and the University of Oviedo’s School of Civil Marine Studies have begun locating and recovering specimens off the coast of Spain.

In addition to studying the animals, the researchers are deploying 3D-printed floating models intended to replicate how they drift across the surface of the water.

The newsletter said: “These models will help researchers better understand how winds, waves and currents transport man o’ war over large distances, a key step towards developing accurate forecasting models.”

The study will also involve experiments and mobile deployments in other regions, including Bermuda and Hawaii, where Portuguese man-of-war are more commonly found.

The newsletter said: “These international comparisons will provide valuable insight into how global ocean conditions influence their distribution and how winds and currents drive their movement in the ocean.

“Ultimately, the campaign aims to improve scientific understanding of what drives the Portuguese man o’ war’s seasonal movements and to develop predictive models that can anticipate their arrival, initially for Spanish beaches.

“These forecasts could help coastal managers, rescue services and the public take preventive measures, reducing the risk of stings and ensuring safer enjoyment of the region’s beaches.

“Future implementations, however, can be developed for any region in the world, since the developed models are not specific for a region and can be fed with the local wind and sea conditions.”

Leocadio Blanco-Bercial, a BIOS oceanographer involved with the project, said: “The most exciting part for me is that this project brings together pure science and engineering, with a model that can and will be used for real societal benefit.

“We are used to seeing Portuguese man-of-war here in Bermuda, but the ones showing up in higher latitudes are much larger than ours and can pose a real threat to both adults and kids.

“At the same time, we are not exactly sure what the future holds for places like Bermuda regarding these beautiful animals, so having a model already in place to help with decision-making is a great ace to have up our sleeve.”