Peru: El Niño Disrupts Marine Life and Threatens the Economy

🌊 The National Forestry and Wildlife Service (SERFOR) recorded 4,091 marine animals outside their protected areas in Peru during 2026, 4,004 of which were dead. The warming of the sea caused by the El Niño phenomenon drove the anchovy (a key resource) to deeper waters, disrupting the food chain.

📉 A study published in the journal Marine Ornithology by researcher Liliana Ayala identified a decline of up to 37.6% in the pelican population following the combined crisis of avian influenza and El Niño.

⚠️ The dispersion of marine resources, as warned by the Multisectoral Commission in Charge of the National Study of the “El Niño” Phenomenon (ENFEN), directly threatens the national fishing industry, putting jobs in coastal communities and food security at risk due to shortages of popular food species.