El Niño Is Already Wreaking Havoc on Pacific Fisheries

The climate phenomenon is creating winners and losers across the fishing industry — Peru canceled its anchovy season while Southern California sees record tuna catches.

El Niño, the periodic warming of the tropical Pacific Ocean, is scrambling fisheries across the globe — and the effects are wildly uneven.

Peru has effectively canceled its anchovy fishing season, one of the country's most important exports and a leading global source of fish oil and animal feed. The Indian government is bracing for a season of smaller, less plentiful mackerel. Meanwhile, Southern California fishers are reporting some of the best tuna fishing they've ever seen — calling the weather phenomenon a "special treat."

The divergence comes down to ocean dynamics. Under normal conditions, trade winds push warm water westward, allowing cold, nutrient-rich water to rise from the depths — a process called upwelling that feeds the marine food chain. During El Niño, weakened winds suppress upwelling, starving species near the equator while pushing warm-water fish like skipjack tuna toward coastal waters where they become easier to catch.

"People are worried," said Juan Carlos Sueiro, fisheries director for the nonprofit Oceana Peru. As climate change is expected to drive more frequent and stronger El Niños, "our vulnerability is increasing."

The impacts extend beyond fishing economies. High ocean temperatures can decimate coral reefs, accelerate kelp deterioration, and reduce underwater oxygen levels. The Humboldt squid — which yields half a million tons of catch per year for Peru's artisanal fishers — tends to fare poorly during El Niño events.

Seafood prices are already showing volatility. Wild salmon in North America can become so thin from lack of food during El Niño that fishers call them "snakes," driving up ex-vessel prices. The exact toll depends on how the current El Niño develops — exceptionally high temperatures in September could signal damage on par with the devastating 1982 event.

Sources: Wired, NOAA Climate.gov