Tide Prediction Calendars for 24 Pacific locations were distributed last week to National Meteorological Services and ocean stakeholders around the region to assist in decision making on their daily ocean use.
The annual tide prediction calendars are a popular product of the Australian-funded Climate and Oceans Support Program in the Pacific (COSPPac) and are designed and produced in the region by the Pacific Community (SPC)’s Geoscience, Energy and Maritime (GEM) Division in partnership with Bureau of Meteorology, Australia.
From shipping companies and tourism operators to local fishing groups and disaster managers, tide calendars provide critical information for a range of users around the Pacific.
In Fiji, the tide calendars were used this year as part of a post disaster survey following Tropical Cyclone Yasa in January.
“The tide calendars were very useful in estimating the tide times during Cyclone Yasa’s land fall in Vanua Levu” said Stephen Meke of the Fiji Meteorological Service who was part of the team with SPC conducting the post disaster survey in Vanua Levu.
He adds, “It also contains very useful information for villages who rely on the ocean for their livelihood especially the moon phases and tide heights. The tide calendar complements their traditional knowledge of the ocean and helps them determine when to go out to fish.”
In Tuvalu, the national meteorological service hosted their national climate outlook forum on Vaitupu in November. It was an opportunity to share the 2022 tide calendars for Vaitupu with the community. Community members spoke about how important the tide calendar is to their daily lives and decision making.
One response was, “Now we know the best time during lowest tide of the month to go out collect types of shells for their handicrafts, dig up small clams, night hunting mud crabs and picking turban shells on reef edges to feed our family”
According to the Director of the Tuvalu Meteorological Service, Tauala Katea, other responses included, “We are aware of the best time during new or full moon to cut the shoot of a coconut tree for collecting fresh toddy” and how it is “Very important to know the right tides vs wet season to plant taro for the annual taro competition”.
This year, a new location was added to the list of tide calendars with Ebeye in the Republic of Marshall Islands.
Calendar predictions are calculated by the Australian Bureau of Meteorology’s Tidal Unit with information from the Pacific Sea Level and Geodetic Monitoring stations and a number of additional tide gauges around the region.
2022 Tide Prediction Calendars are available for the following locations: Rarotonga, Cook Islands; Pohnpei Harbour, Federated States of Micronesia; Lautoka, Fiji; Suva, Fiji; Betio, Kiribati; Kanton, Kiribati; Kiritimati, Kiribati; Majuro, Marshall Islands; Ebeye, Marshall Islands; Aiwo, Nauru; Alofi, Niue; Malakal, Palau; Lombrum, Papua New Guinea; Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea; Apia, Samoa; Honiara Solomon Islands; Lata, Solomon Islands; Tarekukure, Solomon Islands; Nuku’alofa, Tonga; Neiafu, Tonga; Funafuti, Tuvalu; Vaitupu, Tuvalu; Port Vila, Vanuatu; Luganville, Vanuatu.
Predictions can also be downloaded from the Pacific Ocean Portal or the Australian Bureau of Meteorology website http://www.bom.gov.au/oceanography/projects/spslcmp/tidecalendars.shtml
Media contact(s):Merana Kitione, Capacity Development & Communications Officer, GEM Division, SPC meranak@spc.int
SOURCE: SPC/PACNEWS
