El Niño Expected to Persist Until March 2027; Brazilian Fisheries Ministry Issues Recommendations

en.Wedoany.com Reported - The El Niño phenomenon began forming in June and is expected to persist until March 2027. Drought and extreme heat in northern and northeastern Brazil, along with heavy rains and cold weather in the southern region, are some of the impacts associated with this climate event.

The El Niño phenomenon is characterized by the warming of surface waters in the tropical Pacific Ocean, which alters atmospheric circulation and makes rainfall patterns irregular. Fisheries and aquaculture are directly affected by changes in rainfall patterns, making them vulnerable to El Niño's impacts.

When rainfall falls below average, river levels drop, affecting navigation, species reproduction, and water supply, while also making access to communities difficult. When rainfall exceeds average levels, it increases the risk of flooding and may cause damage to production facilities in the sector.

According to the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture (MPA), planning and proactively seeking information are valuable tools for professionals and municipal authorities who need to address these challenges. However, the agency reminds that achieving this requires a collective effort. The Ministry emphasized in a statement: "Coordination among fisheries and aquaculture, environment, water resources, health, social assistance, and civil defense agencies helps track the event's progression and communicate with affected communities."

Recommendations for the coming months include: monitoring official meteorological and hydrological information; maintaining communication with other fishers, aquaculture farmers, fishing communities, associations, and cooperatives; and monitoring water quality conditions, such as temperature, dissolved oxygen, and other parameters in ponds and dams. According to the MPA's report, understanding the specific characteristics of each region is also important, as it allows for anticipating risks in advance and strengthening municipal response capacity.

In the event of facility damage, access difficulties, changes in river levels, production losses, or fish mortality, incidents should be reported through the Fala.BR channel. The Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture's report adds: "This information helps measure the impacts and forward demands to the relevant authorities."