Loss of fishing boats to Hurricane Beryl affecting demand for chicken in Barbados 11Oct2024

In Barbados Today, today: Officials say fish shortage driving increased demand for chicken. Some extracts:

On Thursday, BEPPA board director Amir Juman said there were two main factors impacting the industry, which resulted in consumers being unable to source the quantity of fresh chicken they usually would at supermarkets and other outlets. He explained that there had been a significant increase in demand for chicken over the past weeks as hundreds of protein lovers sought alternatives to fish which has been scarce since Hurricane Beryl affected the island’s fishing fleet…

In July, Hurricane Beryl destroyed 220 of the 312 active boats at the Bridgetown Fisheries Complex, the island’s largest fish landing site. This has left Barbados reliant on limited cold-stored fish and the small number of boats still able to venture out for fresh catches.

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Barbados unveils “the world’s first vehicle powered by renewable natural gas (RNG) from Sargassum seaweed, rum distillery wastewater and Blackbelly sheep manure” 18Sep2024

This story has been brewing for a while, perhaps since the first waves of Sargassum hit the coast of Barbados!

Yesterday (Sep 17), in a post on its Facebook Page, the University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus posted this, with an accompanying video:

Barbados on Tuesday unveiled the world’s first vehicle powered by renewable natural gas (RNG) from Sargassum seaweed, rum distillery wastewater and Blackbelly sheep manure, and The UWI Cave Hill Campus came in for high praise for its pioneering role in this renewable energy project.
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Sargassum Outlook 1Aug to 31Oct 2024 Severe

“Middle islands: Severe influxes and heavy coastal accumulations are expected over the next three months.”

Read more in the Sargassum Sub-regional Outlook Bulletin by the Sargassum Team at The Centre for Resource Management and Environmental Studies (CERMES) at the Cave Hill Campus of The University of the West Indies, Barbados.

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“Extremely Dangerous Hurricane Beryl in the Southern Caribbean” 1Jul2024

“Extremely Dangerous” Hurricane Beryl in the Southern Caribbean
In www.caribjournal.com, by  Caribbean Journal Staff – June 30, 2024

“A “major” hurricane is at the edge of the Southern Caribbean right now: Hurricane Beryl. The storm was an “extremely dangerous” Category 4 hurricane when it reached the southeastern Caribbean Monday morning {July 1] , according to the NOAA…

“Right now, a Hurricane Warning is in effect for Barbados, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Grenada and Tobago.”

View List of Barbados hurricanes (1950 to present), on Wikipedia

Update, Aug 11, 2024:

From www.reliefweb.int July 6, 2024:

On 25 June, the National Hurricane Centre began monitoring a tropical wave with the potential for development that was moving westward. By 28 June, already transformed into Tropical Depression 2 (system AL95), it began to intensify due to atmospheric conditions and officially became Tropical Storm Beryl.

The final conditions for it to become a hurricane occurred on 29 June, making it the first major hurricane of the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season and the earliest Category 4 hurricane to form in recorded history, on 30 June. By 1 July, it became a Category 5 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 270 km/h. 
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Barbados Marine Spatial Plan process (BMSP) seeking feedback 22Jun2024

On the Barbados Marine Spatial Plan Facebook Page, posted June 18, 2024:

Barbados, we’d love your feedback!

We’re calling on you to add your voice to the marine spatial planning process by taking our brief survey, which will help us to chart a sustainable course for the future management of our marine space.
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CERMES: Sargassum outlook moderate 1 June – 1 September 2024

“Middle islands: Moderate influxes are expected to continue during June with a reduction in July and August.” That is a bit of a downgrade from the previous forecast.
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New initiative to preserve and protect island’s coral reefs 6Jun2024

The Folkestone Park and Marine Reserve hosted an Open Day Wednesday, June 5, in celebration of World Environment Day and Oceans Day.

View YouTube Video: Push to preserve and protect island’s coral reefs in which Acting Manager of Folkestone Marine Park and Reserve Carlos Gilkes tells CBC News about an initiative in the works to help preserve and restore the island’s coral reefs and improve fish stocks. Also view article “Restore” in Barbados Today.

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Recent AGRRA Webinars examine Coral Bleaching, Invasive Soft Coral, Restoration Efforts, Acropora Heat Mortality 6Jun2024

The Atlantic and Gulf Rapid Reef Assessment (AGRRA) website at www.agrra.org offers a large suite of educational materials and regional databases/interactive maps related to coral reefs in the Caribbean. A few of the resources are highlighted below.

Cited as New Webinars at aggra.org/RESOURCES/webinars:

Lessons Learned from the 2023 Caribbean Bleaching Event and Preparing for 2024 – CCT May 13, 2024
On YouTube | Presentation Slide Deck (PDF)
“As NOAA announces the fourth global bleaching event, restoration practitioners, scientists and reef managers across the Caribbean and Florida are assessing the actions they took to respond to the 2023 thermal event and planning for the possibility of similar conditions in 2024. On May 13th from Noon-1:30 pm EST, practitioners across the region discussed actions that were implemented, and the lessons learned that could help inform future responses…”
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CERMES: Sargassum outlook severe 29Apr to 30Jul2024

“Middle islands: Moderate to severe influxes are expected over the next 2 months with severe accumulations in July.”

Read more in the Sargassum Sub-regional Outlook Bulletin by the Sargassum Team at The Centre for Resource Management and Environmental Studies (CERMES) at the Cave Hill Campus of The University of the West Indies, Barbados.

The “Middle Islands” include Barbados.

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“TRADEWINDS: Canadian Navy goes underwater in reef research dive” – Barbados Today 12May2024

Elon Cadogon photographs a bleaching survivor on Vauxhall Reef on Mar 2, 2024 (a CORALL exercise)

An article in Barbados Today highlights “a joint exercise between the non-profit Coral Reef Restoration Alliance (CORALL) Barbados and the Canadian Armed Forces” to map coral reefs on the West Coast of Barbabdos. Dr Elon Cadogan is the scientific leader for the “Tradewinds Dive Track exercise”. Read more on Barbados today.

UPDATE May 14, 2024. There was also an item in the Nation News, print ed. for May 12, 204: “Official eyeing coral bleaching”. From the text:

Concerned environmental specialists, researchers and military officials are keeping a close eye on the magnitude of coral bleaching in Barbados. They are encouraging locals and tourism stakeholders to join in te fight to protect and preserve marine life. During the Descend to defend our Reefs dive exercise at Vauxhall beach, St. James Friday, field lead with Coral Reef restoration Alliance (CORALL) Dr. Elon Cadogan explained how coral bleaching, a world wide issue, could impact the island…Descent to Defend Our Reefs is a two-day collaborative climate change effort which saw the participants cover 400,000 square meters from Vauxhall to Folkestone Beach…

What a great initiative!

UPDATE May 19, 2024: View some posters and photos from the day on CORALL Facebook page

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