Still reeling from the effects of Hurricane Beryl which affected south coast communities in July 2024, over two hundred fishers in Whitehouse, St. Elizabeth, and Clarendon’s Portland Cottage have received supplies totaling approximately $2 million to bolster their livelihood operations.

Eight months after the category 4 storm hit the island’s predominantly fishing communities, many have not been able to resume full operation following the loss of up to 100% of their tools and resources. Recently, members of the Sandals Foundation, following the technical expertise of the National Fisheries Authority, and working in collaboration with the Barmouth Fishers’ Association and the Gillings Gully Fishermen’s Cooperative distributed an assortment of 40,000 yards of 4-foot fish pot wires, 900 lbs of fishing nets, 2000 deep sea fishing hooks, and rolls of 4-foot fish pot wires at the Barmounth Fishing Beach in Portland Cottage, Clarendon and Whitehouse St. Elizabeth.

The supplies, which will strengthen the ability of fishers to earn a living, support their families, and the indirect commerce of surrounding communities – was made possible by the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives (CFLI) Humanitarian Assistance Programme operated by the Canadian High Commission to Jamaica. Launched in October 2024 and executed by the Sandals Foundation, the recent outreach culminates a series of restorative projects to support livelihood recovery within the island’s agriculture, education, and marine space.

“The effects of a storm and in this case – a hurricane transcends months and even years,” says Heidi Clarke, Executive Director at the Sandals Foundation. “The supplies provided today will not only directly help the men and women who navigate our waters for their daily catch, but it will also fuel the commerce of fish markets, local restaurants, villas, retail shops, and wholesales, as well as the families and residents who rely on those services to maintain their lives.”

Seventy-nine years old William Daley, who has been a fisherman for some 65 years welcomed the donated supplies noting that, “It will help out a lot.” Reminiscing on the effects of last year’s storm, Daley shared, “It was a very very dangerous hurricane. It destroyed the greater part of my savings. My house, farm, animals, fish pots. I don’t fully recover from it yet.”

Charmaine Allen, who has operated a cook shop at the Barmouth fishing beach for the last four years says the residents have limited economic opportunities and as such, “the shop isn’t doing so well right now because people are not buying and going out to sea like they used to." The recent support, she disclosed will bring much boost to her operations.

"Now that they have the supplies they needed like nets and such they will be able to go out to sea more often. Since they’ll be fishing more, they’ll have better income, so they can come and spend more money at my shop."

The fishers’ livelihood initiative forms part of a wider JMD $ 5.1 million humanitarian outreach and disaster relief project under the Humanitarian Assistance programme of the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives (CFLI).

The Canada Fund for Local Initiative provides modest funding for small-scale, high-impact projects in more than 120 countries eligible for Official Development Assistance (ODA). Projects are planned and implemented mainly by local organisations, and are selected and approved by the relevant Canadian Embassy or High Commission.

Additional projects implemented under the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives’ Humanitarian programme through Sandals Foundation involve the distribution of $2. 2 million cash grants to over 50 farmers in Westmoreland and St. Elizabeth in December, as well as the November 2024 donation of 30 new teachers’ desks valued at some $1.4 million to Hampton School in St. Elizabeth.