Follow through on post-Beryl recovery projects, fishers say

Fisherfolk urged the government to maintain momentum on post-Hurricane Beryl recovery initiatives and complete critical projects that protect their livelihoods as the February 11 general election draws near.

Head of the Black Fin Fleet, Moonesh Dharampaul, told Barbados TODAY that the industry has already established a working relationship with the government and hopes that the partnership will mature after the swearing-in of the new administration.

The fishing industry was dealt a major blow by the 2024 hurricane. Fisherfolk have been slowly rebuilding while putting measures in place to reduce the impact of future storms, he said.

Dharampaul said one of the most urgent needs is the development of proper haul-out facilities.

“We would like to see the completion, which is currently under way, of the breakwater. We would also like to see haul-out facilities at the different landing sites and slipways so fishermen can have the capacity to get their boats out of the water should there be a storm coming.”

He also pointed to ongoing work by the Fisheries Division on a national policy on Fish Aggregating Devices (FADs).

FADs are man-made floating structures that attract pelagic fish and can significantly boost catches, but their use must be carefully regulated to manage environmental impacts and conflicts over how and where they are deployed. 

Dharampaul said: “Currently, there is a FAD policy being developed by the Fisheries Division. We are also working closely with Coastal Zone Management, particularly as it relates to spatial planning of the economic zone, and we are looking forward to good things.”

He stressed that consultation with fishers must remain central to policy development.

“All we wish is that when it comes to policy and development, at the end of the day, fishermen are given a seat at the table to voice their concerns in a mature manner and have that input truly taken into consideration.”

He further explained the importance of FADs to the industry, noting that while they benefit fishing activity, their deployment presents challenges in Barbados’ waters.

“They put buoy-type devices out in the water and anchor them down. Small fish congregate underneath and fishermen use that to catch bait, which attracts bigger fish. It really helps the environment, but because of the tides and conditions around Barbados, it can be very difficult to anchor them properly. That is why a proper mechanism is being put in place.”

Another major priority, he said, is finalising a commercial fishing insurance policy.

“We have negotiated rates and those rates can come down. The last rate we were given was about three per cent, and once we work as a group, that rate could fall to between 2.5 and 2.2 per cent.”

Dharampaul acknowledged the existence of a marine policy but said it does not adequately serve fishermen.

“The marine policy speaks to other boats like charter boats and party boats, but we need a commercial fishing policy for fishermen, based on a sliding scale, because there are different types and sizes of boats.”

He also welcomed improvements to ice distribution, describing ice as critical to the industry’s survival.

“The Bridgetown market has had an upgrade. They’ve received a compressor and now have two ice machines running. It’s still in the initial phase.”

“If we could only do two to three boats a day before, we can now do six to eight. We are working with the permanent secretary and his staff to ensure this functions effectively going forward, because at the end of the day, that is food security.”