Nine months after Hurricane Beryl decimated hundreds of fishing boats, over 60 vessels still have to be repaired.
Similarly, the breakwater at the Bridgetown Fisheries Complex which was damaged also has to be repaired, says Chief Fisheries Officer Dr Shelly-Ann Cox.
“Everyone is working assiduously to make sure that the sector gets to a point that is even better than it was, but that will be based on the consistent support and provision of fibreglass materials for the boat and launching operations.
“There are 250 boats actively fishing but there are still over 60 boats on land that are undergoing repairs. We still have the boat replacement project to implement later this year,” she told the DAILY NATION recently at the Barbados Fisheries Division, Princess Alice Highway, The City, after the launch of the Barbados Coastal Fisheries Resilience Project.
She also gave an update on the repairs to the jetties, the fuel docks and the breakwater in the complex which was damaged when Beryl passed last July 1.
“Both fuel docks were [destroyed] during the passage of Beryl so we had to go about almost six months without fuel being available at the Bridgetown Complex to serve the fleet. It is not quite completed but it has resumed fuelling the boats. Most of the work on the jetties has already been completed, but at least the vessels will have a way to safely tie up.
“[The breakwater] is still on schedule. We may have to be working in July. We have to work on the same timeline to have the breakwater repaired, so when the boats go in there is protection for them if something should happen.
“However, there were setbacks because of the high surf advisories we had. We had a lot of wind but they are working to be able to start the repairs,” she said.
Cox reminded that all of the armour stones needed for the breakwater project were already on the island and were being stored along the Mighty Grynner Highway.
Last October, Government announced that the fishing industry was expected to benefit from a $54 million loan from the World Bank under the Barbados – Beryl Emergency Response and Recovery Project.
Under that project, US$7.5 million is being used for climate-resilient coastal protection, including the design and construction of critical coastal protection works for priority sites to enhance coastal resilience.
The World Bank loan is not to be confused with the Barbados Coastal Fisheries Resilience Project – which was launched Monday through a partnership with the Japanese government and the UNDP-funded project.
Recently, president of Barbados National Union of Fisherfolk Organisations, Vernel Nicholls, predicted that there might not be as many fish this Easter because fewer boats have been out to sea.
“At this time we are still struggling to build back. A lot of vessels have not been able to go fishing because the owners are still struggling to get their boats finished. It is impacting livelihoods in a very serious way.
“Since last week, we have not been having the landings that we are accustomed to at this stage. This is Easter week and we are still hoping to have one of those familiar Easters that we are accustomed to,” she said.
Nicholls, who is also a vendor, said she was also impacted.
“Livelihoods are very much impacted, including me, so I know this is a serious issue,” she added.
