MONTEGO BAY, St James — Mayor of Montego Bay Richard Vernon has issued a stirring call to the parish’s veteran fishers to mentor and steer youth towards the profession, saying that the future of the local industry depends on a deliberate transfer of knowledge to the next generation.

Speaking last Friday during a ceremony to mark the handover of boats and engines as well as the launch of a grant programme, Vernon highlighted a looming demographic shift that could leave the sector anchorless if left unaddressed. The event was held at the National Fisheries Authority’s River Bay outreach office in Montego Bay.

“Every 10 persons that you see, six out of 10 are under 35,” Vernon said.

“So if you’re not transferring the skills to those six out of the 10, in 10 to 15 years they won’t have any skills, we won’t have any fish, and we won’t have any fisherfolk activity happening here,” he warned.

The mayor emphasised that while the Government is providing the necessary tools — such as the grant programme launched last Friday to support vessel repairs, and engine replacement following Hurricane Melissa — the “human element” of skill sharing is irreplaceable.

Beyond the immediate relief, he has set his sights on physical transformation of the River Bay area. He noted that the property, currently owned by the Urban Development Corporation (UDC), holds immense potential to become a “microcosm of the larger city space”.

Vernon proposed a strategic partnership to elevate the fishing compound to match the rising standards of Montego Bay’s modern development.

“We would love for UDC to partner with the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries and see how we can strategically place this property for the further development of the fisherfolk here and for the city of Montego Bay,” he encouraged.

“This has many, many [areas of] potential, and we have to leverage it. We have to tap into it,” he added.

During the ceremony, 17 of 18 cheques, each valued at $250,000, to purchase fishing items and to repair sheds were handed out. Four boats and engines were also handed over.