Antigua and Barbuda’s robust social security schemes have, over the years, been a great safety net for sustainable fisheries in the country. This report analyses and reports on recent changes across the system and its effect on fishers. Increased digitization and reliance on remote technology has become a barrier for those without means or the knowledge to access many schemes. The ever present threat of climate change—in a country prone to natural disasters—poses significant challenges to the sector and has over the past few years caused shifts in policy. Antigua and Barbuda’s fisheries’ desperately need an economic overhaul. Hugely reliant on tourism, and therefore vulnerable to external shocks, the sector witnessed massive downturns due to the pandemic. Its effects highlighted deficiencies the country is still coming to grips with.
