June 2023 Issue

2023 HURRICANE SEASON OPENS

Although official predictions from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) call for a near normal season, our word of caution to fishers and other stakeholders in the Fisheries and Aquaculture sector remains:

Satellite Image for Thursday, 1 June 2023 (1810 UTC)

Day Cloud Phase / Night Microphysics -  (Credit: NOAA)

On 1 June 2023, right at the start of the Hurricane Season, a tropical depression emerged in the Gulf of Mexico (above) showing a strong chance of development over the Florida area, with a projected path that would place it in the northwestern Caribbean by the weekend. This became the first named storm of the 2023 Atlantic Hurricane Season - Arlene.

Below is the 2023 Hurricane Season Summary, showing the probability of a near normal season, 2023 storm names, and the forecasted number of storms, hurricanes and major hurricanes.

Use the CRFM's Caribbean Hurricanes and Tropical Cyclones Map to keep track of these systems in real time as systems emerge.

Fishers and fishing communities should take steps to prepare for any disaster:

• Stay informed and carefully follow official information from authoritative sources about severe weather systems and hurricanes.

• Be aware of the risks and safeguard against hazards such as high winds and turbulent seas, storm surge and storm tide, rip currents, heavy rainfall and flooding, and tornadoes.
• Make a family emergency plan and have an emergency kit with supplies, enough food, water, medicine and other essentials that will last for at least two weeks.

The CRFM cautions fishers against operating vessels under adverse weather conditions and urges all fishers to act early to secure boats and store fishing gear and basic supplies like ropes, lines, hooks, coolers, crimps and crimpers in the event of an approaching storm. This will help to ensure that fishers can protect their livelihoods and return to fishing more quickly after the storm passes and minimize lost and abandoned fishing gear that will continue to 'ghost fish.'

Here are some tips for securing vessels before a storm or hurricane:

1. Boat moorings, anchors, chains, cables, and ropes should be kept in good condition and rechecked well in advance of a storm or hurricane.
2. Monitor and listen to the radio for regular weather reports, warnings, and marine notices.
3. Remove fish pots and gear out of the water at the first warning.
4. Remove boats from water if you can or take them to one of the approved marine shelters.
5. If possible, move boats close to the house. Fill the boat with water or sand to weigh it down. Use tie-downs to secure the entire unit to the ground. Strip off and remove all loose or movable accessories.
   
6. Make sure that your boat or its moorings, anchors, etc. do not block or otherwise obstruct the navigable channel or other access into mooring or anchorage. Leave room for arriving boats.
7. Do not tie-up parallel to the bank or shoreline.
8. If possible, boats should be moored in a group (rafted). Bow lines must be secured, individually tied to trees (never to mangroves), piling, or other strong points on land, allowing sufficient slack for rising tides. The stem too should be similarly secured above ground with an anchor or other strong point on the seabed.
9. Boats assembled in groups must also be secured to adjacent boats with breast-lines and spring lines forward and aft. Fenders or cushions of car tires should be placed between boats to absorb movement, impact, and friction.
10. Mooring lines and cables should be of sufficient strength and long enough to absorb any surge or excessively high tides. They must be protected against chafing.
11. Moor and secure your boat well in advance of a tropical storm or hurricane; then, leave it and do not return to it until the storm has passed and the winds and seas have subsided.
12. Relatively large vessels may not fit into the listed marine shelters. Their operators should seek other places to safely secure their vessels which are comparable with respective size and type of vessel or put vessels to sea in due time to travel away from the storm or hurricane to avoid it altogether.

Towards Sustainable Development of Fisheries for People of the Caribbean