RIVER BAY, St James — There is a gift waiting for fisherman Leonard Cunningham. His wife Andeen Ledgister, who is determined to become a licensed fisherwoman herself, can’t wait to see his face when he lays eyes on the new fishing boat and engine that will replace those lost during Hurricane Melissa’s devastating passage last October.

“It is going to be a surprise,” Ledgister said, referring to the moment her spouse, who is currently off the island, learns about the boat and engine.

Ledgister collected the items, on Cunningham’s behalf, during a recent ceremony that also marked the launch of a grant programme aimed at assisting with vessel repairs and engine replacements for fisherfolk affected by the Category 5 storm.

A dedicated member of the Lucea Fisher’s Association in Hanover, Cunningham was among four fishermen in western Jamaica granted new boats and engines by the National Fisheries Authority (NFA) as part of a recovery effort to support the local fishing community. Despite his best efforts to secure his boat during the hurricane, the vessel is now beyond repair.

Public relations officer for the Lucea Fisher’s Association Mikayle Campbell expressed pride in seeing one of the association’s 57 active members receive much-needed support.

Campbell noted that while many boats were spared, several suffered costly damage that sidelined fishermen and threatened their livelihoods. He said the cost of repairs for some vessels reached upwards of $500,000, excluding the cost of a full engine replacement.

Addressing the handing-over ceremony at the National Fisheries Authority’s River Bay outreach office in St James last Friday, Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining Floyd Green detailed the Government’s multi-phase approach to restore the livelihoods of thousands of fisherfolk across the country who suffered devastating losses.

“To be honest, the last few years have been extremely challenging for our fisherfolk all over the island. When we thought that we had gone past some of the worst, Hurricane Melissa came and created significant havoc to our fishers,” Green told the gathering.

He revealed that approximately 3,289 boats — nearly half of Jamaica’s artisanal fishing fleet — were damaged, along with critical fishing infrastructure such as gearsheds and fishing beaches. The total damage to the fisheries sector is estimated at northwards of $7 billion, with more than $3 billion attributed to infrastructure losses alone.

Despite these setbacks, Green praised the resilience and spirit of Jamaica’s fishermen and women, emphasising the Government’s commitment to supporting their recovery.

The initial phase of the recovery involved clearing debris from fishing beaches and distributing fishing wire to enable fishers to resume operations quickly. More than 2,000 rolls of fishing wire have been distributed at a cost of $35 million.

Building on these efforts, the ministry is continuing its “Next Generation of Fishers” programme which was paused by the hurricane. It aims to distribute 100 boats and engines over five years to registered fishers under the age of 35.

Green noted that the high cost of entry into the industry often deters young people. To further bolster the fleet, the Government is also procuring an additional 20 boats to be managed on a communal basis through the fishers’ association, allowing multiple fishers to benefit as they rebuild their personal assets.

Last Friday’s ceremony also marked the launch of Phase 2 of the recovery programme, which was specifically designed to help fishers get back on the water by providing boat repair grants of up to $150,000 per recipient, and engine repair/replacement grants of up to $500,000 per recipient.

While the programme is islandwide it will prioritise the hardest-hit parishes of St James, Hanover, Westmoreland, St Elizabeth, Trelawny, and St Ann, with an overall budget of $180 million. Some 80 recipients from four fishing beaches were identified to receive support.

During the event 17 of 18 cheques were handed out, each valued at $250,000 to get fishing items and to repair sheds.

Green highlighted additional initiatives such as the provision of 2,500-gallon water tanks at fishing beaches to improve access to water, supporting aquaculture recovery through feed distribution and pond rehabilitation. Fishers will also be trained in advanced techniques such as long line fishing and the use of fish aggregating devices which are aimed at increasing fishers’ capacity to venture further offshore and catch more pelagic species, addressing the depletion of nearshore fish stocks.

The minister also announced plans to rehabilitate six fishing beaches, including River Bay in St James, to enhance infrastructure and create potential tourist attractions that could generate additional income for fishing communities.

“I believe fishing beaches like these can achieve so much more if we invest some resources in not just boosting it up, but in redesigning some of the infrastructure to make it an attraction. In a number of smaller islands, there are fishing beaches where tourists go,” argued Green.

He emphasised that the goal is not just to repair what was lost but to build a more resilient sector that can reduce Jamaica’s reliance on fish imports.

“I’ve said time and time again, we are going to ensure that we have a massively strong fisheries sector. Jamaica, unfortunately, still imports too much fish to be an island that has a marine space that is over 20 times bigger than the island of Jamaica. So when we’re doing all of these things, we’re doing it to ensure that we can feed ourselves, and to ensure that the strongest people in our country, both fishermen and women, have the support they need to continue to do what they love,” said Green.