Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining, Hon. Floyd Green, speaking at the Handover Ceremony for the Fishers Relief Programme on June 20, at the LeCoast Inn in Alligator Pond, Manchester.
The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining through the National Fisheries Authority (NFA), has expended $5,220,000 to provide relief support to several fisherfolk in Alligator Pond, Manchester who had suffered losses following a weather event on February 5 of this year. Portfolio minister, Hon. Floyd Green, justified the support provided by outlining the extent of the losses undertaken by the fishers. “A lot of you suffered significant loss, especially in relation to your pots, right across the north and south coast in Jamaica. Damage to your equipment and disrupting your livelihoods,” he shared.
Minister Green was speaking at the Handover Ceremony for the Fishers Relief Programme on June 20, at the LeCoast Inn in Alligator Pond, Manchester.
He outlines that the support provided to the fishers in Alligator Pond represents the first of many, highlighting that other fisherfolk in other areas across the country will receive similar support.
Minister Green also explained that following the weather event, the NFA was dispatched to conduct an assessment of the damage caused by the weather event and its impact on fishing communities across the island.
“In total, 880 fishers were affected, representing losses of more than 122, 000,000. Here in Manchester, we were able to assess 22.7 million dollars in losses. Fishers lost mainly traps, nets, while a few persons reported damage to their boats. Approximately 100 fishers in Manchester were affected,” he outlined.
The Fisheries Minister shared that 87 fishers from Alligator Pond will receive a grant of 60,000 each which will act as a supporting cushion as they strive to recover.
Minister Green expressed that the Ministry has in place other initiatives to support fisherfolks outside of weather events such as the Fisheries Production Incentive Programme.
“For this year, we are looking to provide at least 400 fisherfolk with some vouchers; we are looking to work with 14 young fishers from across the length and breadth of Jamaica and provide them with grants of $120,000 each; we are also going to be providing 100 fishers with safety equipment such as VHF radios with GPS capabilities and we announced a new programme where we are going to try and start unveiling the next generation of fishers by providing a boat and an engine for a youth fisher across the island,” Green explained.
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