Government reports forty of the storm damaged fishing boats are back in the water and it has offered additional support to boat owners to get their vessels repaired.

The Barbados fishing sector suffered a significant blow when dozens of boats were damaged or destroyed during Hurricane Beryl’s passage.

Officials tell Starcom Network News 83 boat owners have received the promised 25 percent repair grant and another 25 are being processed.

They stress that the payments are being made based on the assessments done by the marine engineers.

The officials also disclosed that government has made the decision to pay the marine engineers to do the assessment reports, a cost that would otherwise have to be borne by the boat owners.

An official stated that a decision was made that government would pay costs of the engineers recognizing that the industry was abruptly disrupted by the hurricane and some boat owners and fishermen might not have the upfront capital.

Meantime, some vendors at the Bridgetown Fisheries Complex have been telling Starcom Network News about their eagerness to get all the vessels back in water.

Fish is being imported to supplement local supply during what is the usual out of season period and until the fishing fleet is fully operational.

But the vendors say it is from the fresh fish that they make most of their money.

Fish vendors at the Bridgetown Fisheries.

Meantime, government officials stress that there is no fish shortage so far and point out that the export of fish resumed in September.

They also note that a total of 140 local fishing boats are back in the water which includes those that were repaired and the vessels that suffered no damage.