For generations, fishing has been more than an industry in Barbados—it is a cornerstone of cultural identity, a communal livelihood woven into the fabric of coastal communities like Oistins. But today, a perfect storm of spiking operating expenses, restricted access to capital, and systemic industry changes is pushing small-scale local fisherfolk to the edge of viability, according to interviews with long-time industry operators carried out by Barbados TODAY.