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Fisherfolk make plea to Govt

by Barbados Today
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Fisherfolk at the Bridgetown Fisheries Complex are imploring Government to throw them a life line as they renewed calls for an expansion of the facility, stating that any bad weather could potentially be disastrous for the industry.

The concern that was voiced by president of the Barbados National Union of Fisherfolk (BARNUFO) Vernel Nicholls came as several fisherfolk who sought safe harbour today rammed their vessels inside the Bridgetown complex in preparation for the impending arrival of Tropical Storm Gonzalo.

While a hurricane watch for the island was discontinued, a tropical storm warning remained in effect as the centre of the storm is expected to pass south- south west of Barbados on Saturday.

“This morning here at Bridgetown is really overcrowded and I would like to ask the Minister to pay close attention to what is happening here,” Nicholls pleaded.

“Our fishing industry has evolved and certainly this market has outgrown the capacity that it was intended for and today we have vessels coming from Oistins, Weston and different places because they believe that here is the safest harbour. But the amount of vessels that we have in here we have to now wait it out and see what happens at the end of this hurricane. I hope and pray that we don’t have any damages or minimal if there is any, but it is an opportunity for our Government to see the extent to which this fishing industry has evolved, and really start looking at what we are going to do in terms of expansion, preparing this fishing industry for further development as we go forward. This is too big an investment that these guys put into these vessels and we can’t afford to have our industry destroyed from any hurricane,” she added during an interview with Barbados TODAY while touring the facility.

Nicholls, who also visited several landing sites and markets to examine the level of preparedness, said she was pleased with what she had seen thus far. She believed this increased seriousness was due to the fact a large number of people could be negatively impacted if there was any damage or destruction to some of the fishing vessels.

“I see that everybody is really doing their part and working together and assisting each other to get the boats ready and getting the boats [berthed] nicely…. From all the discussions and conversations I have been having with them, they are taking it seriously and they understand that it is in their best interest to take it seriously because it is their livelihood and their investments. Having seen what has happened in other places before this is not a time to be complacent because these hurricanes are unpredictable and when you think it might pass you, it very well might not. So they say prevention is better than cure and I think they are on the right road in preparing themselves and trying to get themselves ready,” she added.

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