Ice shortage thwarts fisherfolk return from Beryl setback

A shortage of ice has caused a major setback in the already struggling fishing industry, some fisherfolk have told Barbados TODAY. But a senior fish market manager is assuring that this will be resolved soon.

Just as scores of fisherfolk prepare to return to sea for the first time since Category 4 Hurricane Beryl swept through on July 1, they found themselves unable to source ice here, forcing them to either stay on land or procure it from Grenada.

Ice is critical for storing, transporting and preserving fresh fish. Using quality ice is a health and food safety standard requirement for the fishing industry.

A group of ten fishermen, including captains, told Barbados TODAY that there was no ice available at the Bridgetown Fisheries Complex. While ice was accessible from other suppliers, they explained that they required a specific type of ice for fish and needed it to be readily accessible.

“We have serious problems,” said Owen Accra Coppin, a fisherman with over 40 years experience. “The ice machine here [Bridgetown] is down, and the one in Oistins has issues too. This is a major setback. The fishing season has started, and only about four boats are fishing – they had to go down to the islands to get ice. Right now, around ten to 12 boats are just waiting, and there’s no ice to go fishing.”

Coppin urged the authorities to address the issue promptly.

“I want proper maintenance of this machine every year. Look at all of us here – broke and stuck on land,” he said.

Eric Lewis, senior manager of fish markets, sought to give assurances that the problem would be resolved by the weekend.

“The ice machine was shut down for maintenance. We hope to have it back up by this weekend. 

“The maintenance team took advantage of the boats being on dry dock to conduct a comprehensive maintenance and repair programme,” he said, adding that fish vendors were still able to access ice from Oistins.

“Fish vendors and processors at the Bridgetown public market have been getting ice transported from the Berinda Cox Fish Market twice daily, so they haven’t been seriously affected. The situation with boats is different, as they have to get ice directly from the machine,” Lewis added.

Another fisherman with four decades of experience pointed out that civil servants had ample time to conduct maintenance on the machine.

“It’s been six weeks that there’s been no ice in the fish market here [Bridgetown]. If there’s no ice, the boats can’t go fishing. All the fishermen are just here liming and generating no income. You can’t go out fishing for 14 or 15 days without ice,” said Adrian Sobers.

Highlighting the challenges of accessing ice from Oistins, he explained that the jetty near the ice machine in Oistins, which enabled fishers to collect ice easily, had fallen into disrepair, making it necessary to purchase multiple containers to transport the ice from Oistins to Bridgetown – an inconvenience that was both costly and challenging.

Large vessels – longline boats or ice boats – can carry up to five or more tonnes of ice, with ice costs for these vessels ranging from $1 500 to $2 500 or more.

Sobers said: “The jetty’s been broken down for over a year, and now there’s only one place in Barbados where boats can get ice, and that’s the Bridgetown Fisheries Complex. But the ice from Oistins is a better ice. When you put fish on that ice, you get better quality fish than the one here at Bridgetown; sometimes the one here is too wet and can burn the fish. 

“The fishing industry has been struggling since Hurricane Beryl, and this is another setback – it’s November, and it’s time to go out and bring in flying fish.”

Last month, boat owners reported that only 30 of the damaged fleet of boats would be ready to return to the sea this month. Of the 312 active boats at the Bridgetown Fisheries Complex, the island’s largest landing site, 220 suffered extensive damage when Beryl struck.

Joseph Cow Cow Brathwaite, who has been fishing for more than 60 years, emphasised the need for an additional ice machine to reduce the dependence on the one at the Bridgetown Fisheries Complex.

“One ice machine isn’t enough to supply all the boats here. When the machine gets back up, it’s going to be a mess for ice. There needs to be a programme to ensure the machine always has parts and is serviced properly,” he said.

The fisherfolk raised additional concerns about the industry, including the lack of a proper mooring area for boats at the Bridgetown Fisheries Complex and the significant amount of debris that remained from Hurricane Beryl.

The fishers further noted the need for guide lights along the water channel at the complex to improve visibility when returning to land. 

sheriabrathwaite@barbadostoday.bb