Jamaica: Port Royal Fisher Folk Hurt By Dredging

The health crisis, torrential rains, and a recent uptick in violence have impacted most of the island, however residents of Port Royal, say they’re only being impacted by the economic downturn caused by the pandemic. The fisherfolk is calling for intervention as they now have to journey further to sea to fish.

As Jamaica contends with the prevailing COVID-19 health crisis and high crime levels, some port royal residents are declaring themselves COVID-19 and violence free. They told CVM Live that while many areas across the country were hit hard by the recent torrential rains, they were not significantly impacted.

But while the residents sing praises for the peace and the lack of evidence that COVID-19 has impacted their community, the fisher folk say they’re hanging by a hook as sales nose-dived.

Fish scrapers are also feeling the downturn in business. They’re blaming the years of dredging to facilitate large vessels as the leading cause of the reduction in the fish population.

Hopes were renewed earlier this year with the arrival of three cruise ships with hundreds of tourists; but soon after the world was hit by the COVID-19 pandemic sinking the aspirations of residents to turn Port Royal into a booming business hub.