Joe Brooker (Sports fishing)
Sydney O’Neal Brooker, better known as “Joe”, was born on 31st July 1953. After leaving high school, Joe started his work life as manager of a few sugar estates on the island including Wakefield, Joe’s River and finally Lancaster. Always interested in construction, in 1987 he started his own successful construction firm, Joe Brooker’s Building Ltd.
Growing up in Brighton from a young age Joe, gravitated to the sea, quickly acquiring a love for fishing. From around 8 years-old he had graduated from fishing off the Rum Refinery’s jetty at Brighton to trolling and deep-sea fishing on a sailboat owned and operated by his uncle George Baggott. Joe later tried his hands at flyingfish fishing on one of the early petter-engine powered dayboats operated by Charles Bourne. Joe bought his first commercial fishing boat, a 32’ dayboat, in 1979 which he operated out of Oistins and Bridgetown. He joined the Barbados Game Fishing Association (BGFA) in the same year using the same boat in the various fishing tournaments.
A very successful captain, Joe and his crew have captured several prizes at the various fishing tournaments both locally and regionally, on a number of his vessels over the years including Diane B (Lady C), Storm Hunter, IOU, Galavanter, Manta Ray, Betsy B, Big Deal, which was tragically lost in 2012 in a fire at sea on the way home from a fishing tournament in Tobago, and most recently Sweet Peace, all vessels he owned at the time with the exception of Diane-B which had leased. Joe became a major driving force in the work of the BGFA eventually serving as Vice-President under Brian Manning, and subsequently President between 2015 to 2020. Although no longer in the executive, Joe is still an active and vibrant member from the BGFA.
