IRI Climate Information Digest - Impacts June 1999
Health
Persisting drought in North Korea raises concern
for continued famine.
Hazards/Threats
Drought conditions continue in North Korea.
Excess rainfall in northwest China's Qinghai province
was associated with flooding.
The onset of rains brought relief from drought conditions
in north-central Mexico and some localized flooding.
Drought conditions persisted with a slow start to
the rainy season near and north of Santiago, Chile.
North America from the mid Atlantic through Newfoundland
experienced drought conditions with excessive temperatures.
Agriculture
332,000 acres of farmland were flooded in the Qinghai
province of northwest China.
Monsoon rains returned to benefit corn in the main
corn belt, easing long-term drought in north-central Mexico.
Fisheries
In Peru unofficial statistics for the month of June
for small pelagic species indicate landings of approximately 830,000 metric
tons. Cumulative catch for 1999 is slightly over 4 million
metric tons, compared to about 1 million metric tons in 1998, and over
5 million metric tons during 1996 & 1997. The last week of June 1999
was characterized, however, by a fishing ban on anchovy in the north/center
region of the country. Surveys by the Peruvian oceanographic agency
(IMARPE) indicate that they will likely support a continued ban on anchovy,
possibly through the month of September. According to industry representatives,
IMARPE estimated a total anchovy population of 2.9 million metric tons
(1.8 mmt adults and 1.1 mmt juveniles), more than 1 million metric tons
below what is considered the minimum stock size for sustainable harvest.
The industry is lobbying for a declaration of quotas of allowable catch
for sardine and mackerel.
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