Fisherman and proprietor of Pebble's One Stop at Hellshire Omar John says water levels have shifted by five to 10 metres.
Hellshire Beach restoration efforts stymied by community mistrust
This is one of the many stories in the Jamaica Observer’s climate change supplement published in our online edition. ‘Climate Change: Confronting the rising tide’. It provides expert insights on the change in weather patterns and highlights the impact of the crisis on Jamaica and how stakeholders are fighting back. The supplement can be accessed at https://www.jamaicaobserver.com/2025/03/18/climate-change/
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EFFORTS to restore Hellshire Beach in St Catherine are being stymied by lack of cooperation between the National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA) and the operators of the famous landmark.
Formerly a scenic beauty that attracted locals and tourists in droves, Hellshire is grappling with the effects of climate change, including the erosion of its white sand beach.
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In an effort to address the beach erosion, NEPA, in 2021, installed a 30-metre GeoSR observation tower to monitor coastal processes using video surveillance and data analysis.
The environmental agency says the data gathered from the tower will help assess the intensity, extent, and causes of erosion along the coastline, and this will inform beach rehabilitation projects, beginning with the development of a Hellshire Beach Master Plan, funded by the Natural Resources Conservation Authority (NRCA) and the Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF).
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However, progress on the plan has allegedly been hindered by a lack of support from the Half Moon Bay Fishermen’s Cooperative which operates the beach.
“A consultant has been engaged for the studies, but implementation has been difficult due to a lack of support from the Half Moon Bay Fishermen’s Cooperative,” NEPA stated in an e-mail response to Jamaica Observer queries.
But Devon Malcolm, secretary of the Half Moon Bay Fishermen’s Cooperative, refuted NEPA’s allegations
“There has been no talk about implementation. We didn’t have that phase in the MOU, so I don’t know what they’re talking about,” Malcolm said.
However, when quizzed about seeking support from the Government for the cooperative’s own restoration initiatives, including its aim to install breakwater systems to combat the erosion, Malcolm expressed a deep mistrust of any State involvement.
“Most Government officials, everywhere, see this as prime land. They come in with plans to take over, and that’s the biggest fear. They want to build hotels and bring in their big investors. So we prefer to handle it ourselves. There’s a fear that they’ll take control of the land because they see it as prime property. The Government has their own plans,” he said.
The dramatic erosion at Hellshire Beach reportedly started in the mid-2000s, fuelled by hurricanes Ivan and Dean, which impacted Jamaica in 2004 and 2007, respectively. Satellite images have reportedly confirmed that the precipitous changes happened in the aftermath of both storms.
Omar John, a fisherman and proprietor of Pebble’s One Stop at Hellshire Beach, suggested that the reef, which once provided a natural barrier, was severely damaged by Hurricane Ivan.
“Since that storm, we’ve seen water levels shift by more than five to 10 metres along the shoreline. After that, we had Hurricane Gustav, Hurricane Sandy, and other tropical cyclones, which have all worsened the situation,” John said. “Climate change plays a role, but there are other factors, like debris from Kingston Harbour and waste flowing down from Old Harbour and surrounding shorelines.”
The development, he said, is threatening the livelihoods of the fishermen who conduct business at the location.
“The water’s salt content and acidity have changed, which means certain marine creatures that used to thrive in these areas no longer exist. It’s not just the shoreline that’s suffering — it’s the entire ecosystem,” John said.
“The fishing industry has been dramatically impacted. The size of the catch has decreased significantly. Fishermen now have to travel further and spend more time at sea to catch fish, and even then, the catch is smaller. If you look back 20 years, the catch size was much larger because there was an abundance of fish,” he added.
Malcolm expressed concerns over the possible impact of the rising sea levels on businesses.
“We’re concerned about the rise in sea levels. Any abnormal weather will cause the sea to rise and encroach on the shore,” he said.
“Water gets underneath the walls and washes away the sand, trapping the buildings. Most of the sheds along the front line are easily damaged, so we have to keep maintaining them by throwing stones in place,” he added, gesturing to a cracked wall at a restaurant on the beach.
In the meantime, NEPA said it remains committed to developing a comprehensive master plan for Hellshire Beach and its surroundings. The agency said it hopes to reach an agreement with the Half Moon Bay Fishermen’s Cooperative to complete the necessary studies and plans.
However, given the current chasm between the two organisations, the timeline for any potential agreement remains unclear.
