Arakan State residents urged to make necessary preparations for El Niño

By Admin 19 Oct 2023

DMG Newsroom
19 October 2023, Sittwe
 
People in Arakan State are being urged to make preparations for the El Niño weather phenomenon, with irregular rainfall, high temperatures and the potential for drought expected over the coming months.
 
The Arakan State Department of Fisheries has informed fish and shrimp farmers to be prepared as water resources may be affected by the El Niño starting from this month.
 
“Instructions have been sent to the townships regarding the El Niño phenomenon. Instructions on how to prepare and how to do everything have been included,” said Dr. Tun Thein, director of the Arakan State Fisheries Department.
 
El Niño-related weather could cause the water from shrimp and fish farms to evaporate at higher rates, which may cause water pollution and diseases among fish due to accumulated fish waste in the farms.
 
An official from the Arakan State Fisheries Department said that the oxygen requirement and physiology of the farmed fish could be affected, and the conversion rate from feed to meat could be poor.
 
On October 16, Thandwe District Fisheries Department conducted an awareness talk on the effects of El Niño on fish and shrimp farming, and prevention and mitigation strategies.
 
According to fish and shrimp farmers, most Arakan State townships still have not been informed about El Niño in order to make preparations.
 
“We still don’t know what technology to protect fish and shrimp. We need to know how to prepare for El Niño. The Department of Fisheries has yet to issue any notification regarding El Niño,” said U Maung Than Tin, a prawn breeder in Pauktaw Township.
 
Fish and prawn farmers say technology is needed to prepare.
 
“We raise fish and shrimp in traditional, natural ways, so we don’t have much technology. If the fish and shrimp are deoxygenated due to El Niño, we need electricity to provide oxygen. There is nothing materialistic and I don’t even know how to prepare to prevent the El Niño [effects],” said U Kyaw Thaung, a fish and prawn farmer in Ponnagyun.
 
Fish and shrimp farmers in Arakan State prefer to use only natural methods of farming, and due to technical and financial needs, they are having difficulties expanding and improving their work.
 
U Hla Tun, director of the Department of Meteorology and Hydrology (DMH), said people need to prepare for the effects of El Niño in advance.
 
“Mainly due to high temperatures and low rainfall, drinking water may become scarce, and people need to collect drinking water and use it properly from now on,” he added.