Barbados – Heeding the Warnings

From coast to coast across Barbados the cry remains constant on the lips of fisherfolk:  fish landings are down but just who or what is to blame and with less fish available and would this now mean that fishermen must find alternative employment? What is of greater concern even now is the damage to the southern and northern coasts which were damaged by the wrath of Hurricane Beryl which unleashed her fury on July 1st 2024. https://youtu.be/LdSA86–ns0

One hundred percent of the fishing vessels at the Bridgetown Fisheries were damaged while on the south coast there was a mass haul for inspection of all boats. 


Damage to the Six Men’s Fishing community by Hurricane Beryl

Parliamentary Representative for St Peter Colin Jordan reported to CIJN that the wrath of Beryl is testament to the ongoing climate crisis. “It is affecting our public spaces where people gather, it is affecting the housing [stock] and commercial activity- we need mitigation intervention and our beaches need to be protected,” he reported recently during a damage assessment tour. 

In Sixmen’s St Peter, ambitious spear fisher Davian Bailey who was found preparing fish said that his catch has not been the same as it was ten years ago and he admits that he’s feeling hollow much like the fish he deguts because of the reduced fish landings. 

Spearfisher Davian Bailey speaking with the CIJN’s Michron Robinson

While the fish are looking for cooler temperatures with warmer waters present because of climate change-Bailey too is considering new opportunities outside of fishing. “To me the demand for money using fish (isn’t making sense) I find that I would have to find a different source of income so fishing then becomes a part time thing more so than a Monday to Friday source of income.