El Niño disrupts fisheries and weather patterns across the Pacific

A strong El Niño has already altered marine ecosystems and weather across the Pacific. In Peru, authorities have halted the anchovy fishing season, a key export, prompting concerns over supply and price spikes for fish oil and animal feed. Similar cuts are expected for Indian mackerel, while tuna catches off Southern California have surged.

The same climate anomaly is reshaping storm tracks in the western Pacific. NOAA confirmed a moderate‑to‑strong El Niño, shifting tropical cyclone formation eastward toward Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands and other Micronesian territories. Some islands are seeing record rainfall and flooding, while others—such as the Cook Islands, Fiji, and parts of Papua New Guinea—face drought, reduced crop yields, water shortages and heightened wildfire risk. Officials warn that these divergent impacts will affect food security and livelihoods throughout the region.