Japan To Provide Funding To Strengthen Local Fisheries Sector

US$2.9 million will be injected into strengthening the fisheries sector in Barbados, through funding from the Government of Japan, in support of the current Barbados Coastal Fisheries Resilience (BCFR) project. 

The BCFR project, which was implemented by the Barbados Fisheries Division, in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme, is aimed at strengthening the fisheries sector, which was ravaged by Hurricane Beryl on July 1, 2024, when over 240 fishing vessels were damaged.

Through the project, a marine travel lift will be installed at the Bridgetown Fisheries Complex for hauling large vessels to safety, in the impending threat of a storm or hurricane. Work is also planned for the repair and provision of ice machines at the Complex, located in Bridgetown.

In the coming months, the BCFR project will engage learning institutions and a range of other stakeholders, in the creation of knowledge products, to ensure that boat builders and other stakeholders may benefit from disaster-resistant boat building techniques, technologies and best practices.