Ecuador's tuna exports hit hard by La Niña and competition from China

The La Niña phenomenon (a phenomenon in which sea surface temperatures in the east equatorial central Pacific fall below normal by 3-5°C (5.4-9°F) has seriously affected the Ecuadorian tuna sector since late 2021, led to a decrease in production and a significant increase in costs. “When the water temperature drops between 1ºC and 2ºC, tuna migrate as it is used to tropical waters,” said Bruno Leone, president of Ecuador's national chamber of fisheries CNP, in an interview with local newspaper Primicias. “So the so-called southern tuna season, when Ecuadorian boats cross into Peruvian waters, was very disappointing,” he added. “The last two seasons — December 2021 to February 2022 and December 2022 to February 2023 — have been terrible.” According to BCE data, tuna exports in 2022 were 267,495 tons, down 3.4% from 276,856 tons exported in 2021. “In addition, as the fish leave in search of warmer waters, ships have to spend more days at sea,” Leone said. “This means that while ...