Research Projects
Just BE Fisherfolk : Outputs
Project activities over the two-year project period produced a number of outputs that provide considerable detail on activities and lessons learned. Outputs are categorised according to some key project activities.
Engendering justice thinking in fisherfolk to ensure their fair treatment and recognition in these national initiatives
Just BE Fisherfolk webinar series
CERMES. 2025. Report of the Just BE Fisherfolk Webinar #1 – Meet & Greet with key Caribbean climate justice advocates. Amplifying Climate Justice for Fisherfolk in the Barbados Blue Economy (the ‘Just BE Fisherfolk’ project). Centre for Resource Management and Environmental Studies, University of the West Indies, Barbados. 26p.
CERMES. 2025. Report of the Just BE Fisherfolk Webinar #2 – Climate anxiety? Perspective on justice matters. Amplifying Climate Justice for Fisherfolk in the Barbados Blue Economy (the ‘Just BE Fisherfolk’ project). Centre for Resource Management and Environmental Studies, University of the West Indies, Barbados. 22p.
CERMES. 2025. Report of the Just BE Fisherfolk Webinar #3 – Climate justice and Caribbean women: Just because they don’t hear you, doesn’t mean you have no voice. Amplifying Climate Justice for Fisherfolk in the Barbados Blue Economy (the ‘Just BE Fisherfolk’ project). Centre for Resource Management and Environmental Studies, University of the West Indies, Barbados. 13p.
CERMES. 2025. Report of the Just BE Fisherfolk Webinar #4 - Localising climate justice in the Caribbean. Amplifying Climate Justice for Fisherfolk in the Barbados Blue Economy (the ‘Just BE Fisherfolk’ project). Centre for Resource Management and Environmental Studies, University of the West Indies, Barbados. 19p.
CERMES. 2025. Report of the Just BE Fisherfolk Webinar #5 - Practical steps for advocacy. Amplifying Climate Justice for Fisherfolk in the Barbados Blue Economy (the ‘Just BE Fisherfolk’ project). Centre for Resource Management and Environmental Studies, University of the West Indies, Barbados. 12p.
CERMES. 2025. Report of the Just BE Fisherfolk Webinar #6 – Innovative approaches for amplifying and advocating for climate justice. Amplifying Climate Justice for Fisherfolk in the Barbados Blue Economy (the ‘Just BE Fisherfolk’ project). Centre for Resource Management and Environmental Studies, University of the West Indies, Barbados. 17p.
CERMES. 2025. Report of the Just BE Fisherfolk Webinar #7 – Just BE Fisherfolk small grants results. Amplifying Climate Justice for Fisherfolk in the Barbados Blue Economy (the ‘Just BE Fisherfolk’ project). Centre for Resource Management and Environmental Studies, University of the West Indies, Barbados. 47p.
Tailored advocacy training for fisherfolk
Alvarez de La Campa, S. 2025. Report on the short course: climate justice through strategic and practical advocacy. Amplifying Climate Justice for Fisherfolk in the Barbados Blue Economy (the ‘Just BE Fisherfolk’ project). Centre for Resource Management and Environmental Studies, University of the West Indies, Barbados. 26p.
Awareness through internationally celebrated days
World Day of Social Justice
Who Feels It Knows It video produced by The Voice From The Shore Theatre Collective in celebration of World Day of Social Justice
“Who feels it knows it” highlights various issues directly impacting female fisherfolk in Barbados but with significant relevance to multiple stakeholders in the industry. Through poetry, affected women present new insights on their lived experience in fisheries including exclusion or tokenism in decision making, power imbalances between themselves, local authorities and large-scale fish processors, and mental and physical health risks in pursuit of their livelihood. The compelling narrative on social injustices, environmental and human health challenges, uses the Popular Theatre approach to storytelling as an engaging outlet to inform and draw attention to the issues that affect them most. The approach also includes an important call to action for greater unity and understanding among industry stakeholders, from policy makers to fisherfolk. Its greatest impact, is the ability for these women to advocate using their own voices, for greater levels of cooperation, equity and positive change in an industry that matters! (Review by Judith R. Gittens, 15 April 2024).
International Women’s Day
Building on the “Inspire Inclusion” theme for International Women’s Day 2024, CERMES developed a poster addressing the inclusion of women fisherfolk for achieving climate justice in the Barbados fishing industry.
World Ocean’s Day
Using the “Awaken New Depths” theme for World Oceans Day, CERMES developed a poster to encourage fisherfolk to think about blue and climate justice issues regionally and internationally.
Supporting a core of empowered women and youth fisherfolk through capacity building to create a foundation for justice advocacy
Popular Theatre capacity building and The Voices From The Shore Theatre Collective
Barrow, M. 2025. Popular Theatre: For Social, Climate and Blue Justice. Amplifying Climate Justice for Fisherfolk in the Barbados Blue Economy (the ‘Just BE Fisherfolk’ project). Centre for Resource Management and Environmental Studies, University of the West Indies, Barbados. 35p.
Griffith, S. 2024. “Aftermath.” Unpublished manuscript.
Pena, M., M. Barrow, P. McConney and B. Simmons. 2024. “Popular Theatre is a Novel Contribution to Fisherfolk Advocacy for Justice in Barbados.” SSF Hub Stories, April 2024.
Pena, M. and Jones, E. 2025. “Voices From The Shore.” Amplifying Climate Justice for Fisherfolk in the Barbados Blue Economy (the ‘Just BE Fisherfolk’ project). Centre for Resource Management and Environmental Studies, University of the West Indies, Barbados. Video, 6 min., 7 sec.
This short documentary introduces the Popular Theatre approach being used by a group of women small-scale fish processors in the Barbados fishing industry. They call themselves The Voices From The Shore Theatre Collective and have been building their capacity in Popular Theatre to understand and interrogate injustices faced by fisherfolk in the fishing industry. The short documentary features members of the group at a recent working session.
Pena, M, P. McConney, T. Babb, M. Barrow, S. Bourne, S. Griffith, M. Harding, B. Simmons, I. Taylor and S. White. 2024. “Advocating for Justice: Barbados’ Fisherfolk Build Capacity to Advocate for Climate, Blue and Social Justice. Yemaya ICSF’s newsletter on gender and fisheries, No. 69, June 2024, ISSN 0973-1156.
Voices From The Shore Theatre Collective. 2024. “Who Feels It, Knows It.” Amplifying Climate Justice for Fisherfolk in the Barbados Blue Economy (the ‘Just BE Fisherfolk’ project). Centre for Resource Management and Environmental Studies, University of the West Indies, Barbados. Video, 3 min., 11 sec.
Voices From The Shore Theatre Collective. 2024. “Sea Women Story.” Unpublished manuscript.
Youth empowerment for justice advocacy
Blackman, K. 2025. Rising Tides Programme Summary Report. Amplifying Climate Justice for Fisherfolk in the Barbados Blue Economy (the ‘Just BE Fisherfolk’ project). Centre for Resource Management and Environmental Studies, University of the West Indies, Barbados. 17p.
Improving fisherfolk collective action and identifying justice advocates for promoting fisherfolk responses to national climate adaptation and resilience initiatives
Small grant initiative
Chapman, K. 2025. Organisational strengthening for fisherfolk advocacy. Small Grant Summary Report. Amplifying Climate Justice for Fisherfolk in the Barbados Blue Economy (the ‘Just BE Fisherfolk’ project). Centre for Resource Management and Environmental Studies, University of the West Indies, Barbados. 11p.
Griffith, S., M. Harding and S. White. Teaching the Youth the Importance of the Fishing Industry to Barbados. Small Grant Summary Report. Amplifying Climate Justice for Fisherfolk in the Barbados Blue Economy (the ‘Just BE Fisherfolk’ project). Centre for Resource Management and Environmental Studies, University of the West Indies, Barbados. 7p.
Nicholls, V. 2025. Women’s Health in the Barbados Fisheries Sector. Small Grant Summary Report. Amplifying Climate Justice for Fisherfolk in the Barbados Blue Economy (the ‘Just BE Fisherfolk’ project). Centre for Resource Management and Environmental Studies, University of the West Indies, Barbados. 10p.
Nowell-Browne, K-A. 2025. Empowering Women in Fishing. Small Grant Summary Report. Amplifying Climate Justice for Fisherfolk in the Barbados Blue Economy (the ‘Just BE Fisherfolk’ project). Centre for Resource Management and Environmental Studies, University of the West Indies, Barbados. 10p.
Sandiford-Tull, C. 2025. Ocean Literacy for Weston Youth. Small Grant Summary Report. Amplifying Climate Justice for Fisherfolk in the Barbados Blue Economy (the ‘Just BE Fisherfolk’ project). Centre for Resource Management and Environmental Studies, University of the West Indies, Barbados. 10p.
In addition the summary reports, the small grant activity has been well documented through the production of a Just BE Fisherfolk digital magazine.
Call to action for unity and justice
Blackman, K. 2025. Developing a Call to Action for Climate Justice for Fisherfolk in Barbados: Summary Report. Amplifying Climate Justice for Fisherfolk in the Barbados Blue Economy (the ‘Just BE Fisherfolk’ project). Centre for Resource Management and Environmental Studies, University of the West Indies, Barbados. 9p.
Project reports
Blackman, K., B. Simmons and M. Pena. 2025. Just BE Fisherfolk project closing celebration. Amplifying Climate Justice for Fisherfolk in the Barbados Blue Economy (the ‘Just BE Fisherfolk’ project). Centre for Resource Management and Environmental Studies, University of the West Indies, Barbados. 14p.
CERMES. 2023. Report of the project launch event for Amplifying Climate Justice for Fisherfolk in the Barbados Blue Economy (the ‘Just BE Fisherfolk’ project) on 21 November 2023 at Fisheries Division, Bridgetown, Barbados. Centre for Resource Management and Environmental Studies, University of the West Indies, Barbados.
Pena, M. 2025. Final narrative report. Amplifying Climate Justice for Fisherfolk in the Barbados Blue Economy (the ‘Just BE Fisherfolk’ project). Centre for Resource Management and Environmental Studies, University of the West Indies, Barbados. 32p.
