Barbados’ ocean space is more than 400 times its land space, and yet, it remains wrapped in mystery, as does the ocean floor of much of the world. In this United Nations Decade of Ocean Science, our wonder of the ocean inspires a deep commitment to explore and understand it more fully. Under this year’s World Ocean Day theme: "Wonder: Sustaining What Sustains Us”, we are encouraged to be guided by curiosity, wisdom, with a commitment to collective well-being as we work together to create a new balance with the ocean.
As residents of a small island, it is becoming increasingly clearer that just as the ocean is able to provide numerous ecosystem services through the provision of food, the cycling of nutrients, and climate regulation, it equally has the ability to cause significant loss and damage, which was most recently demonstrated just under a year ago by Hurricane Beryl. This system generated significant storm surge, which impacted much of the infrastructure along the island’s south coast, along withheavy losses experienced by those in the fishing industry.
The theme of World Ocean Day reminds us of the respect and mindfulness that is demanded of us regarding the ocean, and that the pollution, increased acidification and temperatures of this space will only serve to harm us in the end.
Recognizing the part we play in the ocean’s health, Barbados has gone to great lengths to enact legislation that will ensure the sustainable use of its ocean space. On the 12th of May 2025, the Sustainable Fisheries Management and Development Act, 2025 and Sustainable Fisheries Management and Development (Seafood Markets and Businesses) Act, 2025 were passed to protect marine ecosystems from fishing activities by reducing pollution and the use of harmful fishing gears and practices, enhance climate resilient fisheries infrastructure, and facilitate financial and social empowerment to fisherfolk and all sector stakeholders. Additionally, our fisheries sector is being strengthened using data-driven management and community-led conservation. Fisherfolk are being given a greater voice in shaping the future of their industry, therefore fostering a culture of stewardship rather than extraction.
Other key pieces of legislation recently passed or in process include the Maritime and Underwater Heritage Act, 2024 and the Integrated Coastal and Marine Management Bill, 2025, each doing their part to ensure that we act in harmony with the ocean. The development of the Barbados Marine Spatial Plan, where the aim is to build a resilient Barbados with an optimally zoned and effectively managed ocean that supports a Blue Economy for social, economic and ecological well-being, is a testament to the island’s commitment to the sustainable use of its ocean space.
The ocean has served us with generosity. Now it is our turn to serve it with devotion. Let us sustain what sustains us—with respect, and with unity.
Cover photo credit: Holly Trew
