SOME 3,800 fisher folk islandwide are receiving assistance to recover from the effects of Hurricane Ivan through a $13.8 million grant provided by the United Way of Jamaica, through the Council for Voluntary Social Services (CVSS).

The hurricane hit in September 2004.

The Jamaica Agricultural Society (JAS) collaborated with the Jamaica Fishermen Cooperative Union (JFCU) to secure funding from CVSS/United Way of Jamaica, and the funds are being administered by the JFCU which is supplying fishing equipment to its member cooperatives and individual members.

So far, some 2,000 fisher folk have each received mesh wire and other fishing equipment valuing approximately $3,500 from the JFCU, said a release. Disbursements began in March this year and will continue though to the end of the year.

The tertiary level fishing co-op is also the major supplier of fishing equipment to fishing cooperatives in Jamaica.

“The fisher folk are getting the equipment and supplies through their primary fishing cooperatives which are members of the JFCU, such as Gillings Gully, Old Harbour, Rocky Point, Alloa, Hope Bay, Rae Town, Corporate Area and Negril,” said JFCU chairman Havelon Honeyghan.

“Where there are no active cooperatives, the JFCU staff go and directly hand out the equipment,” he said.