2026’s El Niño is shaping up to be a doozy – it’s already affecting global shipping, fish behavior and heat
El Niño can affect agriculture, marine life and economies in profound ways, including slowing commerce at the Panama Canal. This El Niño is likely to be the strongest in over a century.
El Niño, a natural climate phenomenon, is intensifying in 2026 and may be the strongest in 150 years, according to climate experts. The event is already causing significant disruptions globally, from shipping routes to marine life and agriculture. In Panama, authorities have reduced the number of vessels permitted to pass through the Panama Canal due to deepening drought, which is causing delays and increased shipping costs.
Coral reefs are on alert for severe bleaching, while Ecuadorian fishing boats are traveling farther from the coast to find their catch as fish migrate to cooler waters. Blue-footed boobies, a seabird species, have appeared in Panama earlier than usual due to shifts in sardine and anchovy populations. Global temperatures are at record highs, and scientists warn of the compounding effects of El Niño and climate change on marine life, particularly along the west coast of the Americas and Australia.
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