Gov’t Invests Over $300m In Fisheries Sector Post-hurricane Recovery

The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining has invested more than $300 million in recovery efforts to support fisherfolk and revitalise the fisheries sector following Hurricane Melissa in October 2025.

Senior Strategist, Consultant and Advisor to the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Michael Pryce, outlined during a recent Jamaica Information Service (JIS) ‘Think Tank’ that efforts are under way to safeguard the livelihoods of fishers most severely affected by the hurricane.

“We have damage to about 50 per cent of our ‘rolling stock’ or boats… and we have pumped significant support into the fisheries sector. We’re supporting gear replacement [and] we have purchased 20 boats and engines to distribute to some fishers who had lost their complete livelihoods,” he said.

Mr. Pryce noted that additional direct relief measures have been extended to fisherfolk, including administrative support with licensing and registration.

“We are also offering a moratorium for six months between November 2025 and May this year for all licences and registration renewal. So, it’s free and it continues to be free until May,” he stated

Mr. Pryce added that this support was particularly important “for those people who may have physically lost their licences”.

He further highlighted the significant work undertaken to restore damaged infrastructure across several fishing communities.

“We have done significant infrastructure repairs on the fishing beaches, [and] we have been rebuilding several of our fisheries stations that were badly damaged, especially on the south coast. So far, rehabilitation work has been completed at Black River, White House, and other key sites,” Mr. Pryce indicated.