 The Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries, Natural Resources and Cooperatives, Honourable Izykal Joseph, has refuted claims that government has abandoned the fishing sector at the most critical period in the nation's history. Minister Joseph, during his contribution to the budget debate, reported that the transition from the St. Lucia Fish Marketing Cooperation to the Lucian Blue Ocean Seafood Inc. has proven beneficial to fishers. The Lucian Blue Ocean, Honourable Joseph added, has increased the purchase of fish. In 2008, the Speaker of the Seafood Fish Marketing Cooperation purchased $287,604 fish locally from local suppliers. That was the amount for 2018. In 2019, because he started operating from May 2019 to December 2019, local purchases was $142,266, Mr. Speaker. Of course, Mr. Speaker, during that time, those opposite were discouraging fishermen to once sell to the new entity, and of course there were some level of reluctance by some fishermen not to sell to the new entity. Mr. Speaker, in 2020, when the confidence of the fishermen developed, what we realized, Mr. Speaker, in 2020, they purchased $438,410, much more than what was purchased in 2018. Honourable Joseph also updated the House on the COVID assistance to fishers provided by government. In November 2020, the Ministry of Agriculture presented grant funding to cooperatives to disperse the eligible fisherfolk. Since then, 789 fishers have received their relief funds, however, 239 have not collected. To qualify for the Income Support Program from the Government of St. Lucia, fisherfolk needed to be registered with the Department of Fisheries and also be captured under 2019 to 2021 fishing license application as a boat owner, captain or crew member associated with the vessel. For example, Mr. Speaker, the cooperative, the Swazel Fishermen's Cooperative, still have $4,500 on their hands to pay their members. The Sufra Fishermen's Cooperative, Mr. Speaker, still have over $1,000 to pay their members. The Goodwill Fishermen's Cooperative, Mr. Speaker, the Goodwill Fishermen's Cooperative, yes, the member for Denry, for Miku, for you thought North, the Goodwill Fishermen's Cooperative still have $42,000 on their hands to give support to fishermen. The Miku Fishermen's Cooperative, Mr. Speaker, $18,500. The Denry Fishermen's Cooperative, Mr. Speaker, yes, the member for the Valley, $20,000. Grozillard Fishermen's Cooperative still have $3,000 on hand and the Cassress Fishermen's Cooperative, Mr. Speaker, still have $23,500 to give support to their members, Mr. Speaker.