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Hurricane Beryl devastated the fishing industry and affected more than 800 people.
This was revealed by Nikola Simpson, Founder and Director of Sustainable Barbados, when she accepted a donation of $30,000 worth of ship repair supplies from the Rotary Club of Barbados, the Cave Shepherds Group and Fiberpol at the Oistins Shipyard in Christchurch recently.
She said the July 1 hurricane damaged 241 vessels and destroyed 64, affecting not only the ship owners but also the crew members and their families.
“We are still in the recovery phase. The priority right now is to get the materials to repair the boats and try to get as many longline boats back fishing as quickly as possible so that we can hopefully get fishing back, get livelihoods back and hopefully get some fresh local sustainable seafood back on not only the tables of Barbadians but also for the tourism industry,” she said.
Simpson said the biggest needs right now were for materials to repair fibreglass and wooden boats, support for boatbuilding services and getting boats back on the water. They were also looking at resilience and strengthening the fisheries sector.
“We are looking at how we can use new technologies and innovative approaches to help the industry become more sustainable and, hopefully, better resilient to disasters like these impacted by the climate crisis.
“The past six weeks have been a heartbreaking journey. The impact has been devastating, but the fishermen are strong and a united community. It’s wonderful to see everyone coming together to rebuild the industry and build it back better,” she said, adding that some people have lost their homes as they had been living on their boats.
The director said more than a dozen vessels have been re-launched and they hope to have “at least” another 10 vessels available in the coming weeks.
Adrian “Muscleman” Wiltshire, president of the Bridgetown Fishermen’s Association, pointed out that when a fishing boat goes missing, it’s not just the owner who is affected.
“If you consider the number of people fishing on board – sometimes it’s two, sometimes it’s three – and 90 percent of the time they are not related, then when you see a boat with three people on board, a captain, two crew members and the owner, you’re looking at an average of about 12 or 15 people related to the affected families,” he said, noting that more than 300 people lost their jobs overnight.
Wiltshire said no one could have imagined what had happened to the industry, but fishermen were overjoyed at all the help. He said only those who experienced the disaster firsthand could truly understand it.
“Seeing it on video or hearing it on the radio is nothing compared to seeing it with your own eyes, as people risked their lives to stop the ship from sinking. Bigwigs cried like babies as they saw the ship they had invested years to build sink to the bottom of the ocean in a matter of minutes.
“One guy went to pump the water out of his boat and as he was walking across the dock to safety his boat sank. All he could do was cry, there was really nothing he could do,” he said.
Wiltshire also described the rescue efforts and the ordeal the divers endured as they navigated through debris and seaweed, and swam through floating diesel fuel, which they had to cover their bodies with a substance to prevent it from entering their bodies.
Barbados Rotary Club President Arlene Ross said three Rotary clubs worked with the Cave Shepherd Group to donate supplies including fiberglass resin, chopped strand mat, stitched mats and hardener.
Simpson said other fundraising activities are also ongoing, such as back-to-school events and other activities. Sustainable Caribbean, in conjunction with the Barbados Arts Council, hosted an art auction and raffle that raised $10,000.
“I asked about how much it would cost to get these boats back on the water. Some boats are $10,000, some are $60,000, so every little bit of help is helpful,” she said.
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