They are fat-free, protein-rich and “really slimming” and they are going to wash up on our beaches in the thousands this summer, but have you ever eaten jellyfish?

Researchers at the University of Queensland (UQ) are suggesting we should add jellyfish to our diets in a bid to move towards more sustainable fishing.

The UQ researchers found 92 endangered and 11 critically endangered species of seafood were caught around the world and some were served up on dinner plates as “fish”, “flake” or “cod”.

It was the nutritional value of jellyfish that made it stand out. “They are a really slimming diet food. They only have about 36 calories in a three-ounce (about 75-gram) serving, so you are practically talking iceberg lettuce here. They’re also fat-free and a solid protein,” Dr Gershwin said.

While Dr Gershwin had tasted jellyfish herself, she said she did not care for it.

Despite the blubbery appearance, she said it had a surprising texture. “In the mouth it feels like a cross between cucumbers and rubber bands. They’re kind of squishy, kind of crunchy and chewy. “Dr Gershwin said jellyfish did not have any particular flavour. They take on the taste of whatever they’re cooked in,” she said.

In terms of sustainable fishing, Dr Gershwin said generally jellyfish was a bonus as it was “in no way endangered”.