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More than 800 people were affected when Hurricane Beryl devastated the fishing industry.
This revelation came from founder and director of Sustainable Barbados Nikola Simpson during a donation of boat repair supplies worth $30 000 by the Rotary Clubs of Barbados, the Cave Shepherd Group and Fiberpol, in the Oistins boatyard, Christ Church, recently.
She said 241 boats were damaged and 64 destroyed by the July 1 hurricane but those affected extended beyond boat owners to the crew and their families.
“We’re still kind of in the immediate recovery phase. The priority needs now are materials for repair of fishing vessels, trying to get as many longline vessels back out fishing as soon as possible so that we can hopefully resume fishing activities, restore livelihoods and also hopefully get some fresh local sustainable seafood back on the plates of not only Bajans, but within our tourism sector,” she said.
Simpson said the biggest needs right now were materials for the repairs of both fibreglass and the wooden vessels, support for shipwright services and for getting the boats launched back into the water. They were also looking at resilience and enhancing the fisheries sector.
“We are looking at how we can use new methods of technology and innovation to help make the industry more sustainable and hopefully more resilient to disasters such as this, which are impacted by the climate crisis.
“The past six weeks have been quite a journey, a heart-breaking one. The impacts have been catastrophic but the fisherfolk are strong and a united community. It’s been really beautiful to see the support of everyone coming together to help rebuild the sector and build [it] better,” she said, adding some people lost their homes as they had been living in their boats.
The director said more than ten boats had already been placed back in the water and they were hoping to have “at least” another ten seaworthy in the next few weeks.
President of the Bridgetown Fisherfolk Association Adrian “Muscles” Wiltshire noted that when a fishing vessel was lost, it was not only the boat owner affected.
“If you take into account the number of people that fish on a vessel – sometimes two, sometimes three – and 90 per cent of the time they’re not related, so when you look at a vessel that carries three, a captain and two crew and a boat owner, you’re looking at an average of about 12 or 15 people by extension as it relates to families that are affected,” he said, pointing out that more than 300 people became unemployed overnight.
Wiltshire said no one could have imagined what happened to the industry but the fisherfolk were very pleased with all the help. He said the devastation had to be experienced to truly be understood.
“Seeing it on video, or hearing it on the radio, is nothing compared to seeing it live, where people were risking their lives to stop their boats from sinking. Big men and women cry like babies because they see their long-term investment that had taken years to build just go to the bottom of the sea in a couple of minutes.
“One guy, he went and he pumped his boat out, and while he was walking across the jetty going back to safe ground, his boat was going under. All he could do was to cry, there was really nothing else he could do,” he said.
Wiltshire also described the rescue efforts and the ordeal the divers went through, navigating debris and seaweed and swimming through floating diesel. They had to coat themselves with a substance to keep the diesel off them.
President of the Rotary Club of Barbados Arlene Ross said three Rotary clubs partnered with the Cave Shepherd Group to make the donation, which included fibreglass resin, chopped strand mats, stitch mats and hardener.
Simpson said other fundraising events were under way, such as back-to-school initiatives and other events. Sustainable Caribbean was co-hosting an art auction and raffle with the Barbados Arts Council to raise $10 000.
“I was asking what’s an estimate of how much it’s going to cost to get boats back in the water. It’s $10 000 for some boats, for others it’s $60 000, so every little bit helps,” she said.