Sea warming caused by El Niño current will favour tuna availability, among other species, this year. (Photo: CPC/NCEP-SE)

Tuna, bonito, shrimp and dolphinfish increased catches expected

PERU
Monday, June 25, 2012, 00:20 (GMT + 9)

Instituto del Mar del Peru (Imarpe) anticipates that by the end of winter this year there will be a greater availability of tuna, dolphinfish, bonito and shrimp due to ocean warming caused by a "weak" El Niño current.

According to Marilú Bouchón, head of Imarpe Fisheries Bitácoras Programme, those resources need warm water to live so the temperature increase in the Peruvian coast will be favourable for growth.

The National Service of Meteorology and Hydrology (Senamhi) states that 'The coastal El Niño' is a climate change that will produce an unusual winter, with maximum temperatures of up to 25 degrees and minimum temperatures of 16 degrees.

"This climate change will favour the appearance of species in need of warm water to live. Therefore, tuna, dolphinfish, bonito and shrimp will be more available during this period of time," the entity explained.

By contrast, Bouchón stressed that anchovy captures will fall because this species prefers cold water.

In this regard, she reported that a migration of anchovies has already been observed in deeper waters and there will be a shift toward the centre of the sea.

The Imarpe official, who is also a technical coordinator of the National Study of El Niño Phenomenon (Enfen), recommended fishing companies to take advantage of this climate change by capturing the species that are more available in this period so as to avoid economic losses.

As Bouchón indicated, the phenomenon of El Niño will not be present in the country during 2012 because its appearance implies an impact worldwide with rain in the north and drought in the south, which is not happening, Andina agency reports.

"We expect sea conditions become normal when the spring season starts, but what we are sure of is that this phenomenon will not take place until the end of the year," she concluded.

By Analia Murias
editorial@fis.com
www.fis.com

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