The first ten loans to replace fishing boats damaged or destroyed by Hurricane Beryl have been approved, committing $2.8 million under a recovery programme, officials said Monday.

The 2024 cyclone wrecked 200 fishing boats along the coast and on land — roughly nine out of every ten boats. Some 87 vessels have been put back into use, while several others are in the process of receiving loan and grant funding to get their boats back in the water.

Details of the disbursement were revealed by the Beryl Emergency Response and Recovery Project Vessel Replacement Programme at a press briefing at the Fisheries Division.