Steven Bourne (Community leader, boat owner, sea egg diver)
On 20th September 1951, Steven Cleviston Bourne was born into one of the most famous fishing families of Silver Sands. Steven’s grandfather and father and older brother were all fishermen. Steven himself started to fish nearshore from around 12 years-old, but his introduction to flyingfish fishing was more serendipitous. While out fishing his father, who was with Steven’s older brother, got sick at sea. Fortunately, the two managed to return home safely, but as the father was recovering his brother woke the then 15-year-old Steven in the wee hours and instructed him to get ready for fishing. As such starting him on his career in fishing. Although immediately after leaving school Steven started training as a carpenter, it was fishing bug that got the greater hold on him.
Steven soon acquiring the nickname “Skippie”, has engaged in just about every form of sea fishing in Barbados. Ranging from the diving fisheries for conchs and sea-eggs, seine net fishing, flyingfish fishing and a short stint of longlining. During his fishing career Steven mentored several fishers and his community in his community as well as collaborating with and offering his sage advice to researchers from the Centre for Resource Management and Environmental Studies (CERMES) and the Fisheries Division. For example, since its start in 2001, Steven and his team have consistently participated in the annual sea egg stock abundance surveys which have been crucial in assessing that status and advising on management of that fishery.
After nearly 60 years in fishing, Skippie has now at least semi-retired from sea fishing, although he still owns 2 iceboats and 1 spearfishing boat. Still, Steven’s fishing dynasty is carried on for the next few generations at least by his son and grandson.
Photo credit: Jaryd Niles-Morris