Fisherfolks must lead the way

(After DUROS 1 and 2 Multistakeholders’ Consultations on the San Miguel Bay Offshore Wind Project held on February 20 and May 15 successively convened by Tabang Bikol Movement, the Mariners Polytechnic Colleges Foundation with the Ocean Center Philippines, the Central Bicol State University in Agriculture and the Bicol State College in Applied Sciences and Technoology and the LGUs and Fisherfolks’ organizations in Cabusao, Calabanga, Camarines Sur and Mercedes,Camarines Norte in cooperation with invited experts and specialists from the University of the Philippines - PERPI, the BFAR, DENR, DOE, TBM received a proposed Framework for Co-Equitable Coexistence from the DUROS 1 fisherfolks consultation. Fisher from Cabusao Joe Pableo, says it subtly, “we are not against the windfarm and development, but we are for the rights and welfare of the fisherfolks who rely on the Bay.” )

If properly designed, the framework assures the project could become a “renewable energy + marine conservation zone” with the following features: legally protected no-trawl areas; community co-managed fish sanctuary buffers; fish habitat restoration; mangrove/seagrass rehabilitation; community patrol boats; developer-funded marine biodiversity monitoring and fisher livelihood compensation.

That would be transformative, the proposed Framework says. If conservation and fisheries governance are intentionally built into the project, the renewable energy project would help protect San Miguel Bay from illegal trawlers, support fish recovery and enhance the ecological system in Camarines Sue.

Otherwise, it could simply become an energy project that displaces fishers without protecting the ecosystem. Let me cite their whole proposed abridged Framework:

Proposed Framework for Equitable Co-existence: San Miguel Bay Offshore Wind Project

The proposed offshore wind development in San Miguel Bay represents a fundamental transformation of our maritime landscape. While we acknowledge the national shift toward renewable energy, this transition must be governed by a “social license to operate” that originates from the sovereign will of the local community. This proposed framework is a declaration that industrial progress shall not be pursued at the expense of the economic survival, maritime heritage, and food security of the traditional fisherfolk.

Key Recommendations from the Proposed Framework

1. Create a Multistakeholder Consultative Council

Establish a permanent body composed of fisherfolk leaders, LGUs, civil society, academe, national agencies, and the developer to ensure transparent decision-making and community participation.

2. Protect Critical Fishing Grounds and Marine Habitats

Declare strict no-go zones for turbine installation, including traditional fishing grounds, fish nursery areas, marine protected areas, coral reefs, seagrass beds, wetlands, and municipal waters.

3. Adopt Marine Spatial Planning (MSP)

Implement participatory zoning to clearly separate industrial offshore wind activities from traditional fishing routes and livelihood areas.

4. Develop Fish Sanctuaries and Conservation Zones

Integrate community-managed fish sanctuaries, no-trawl enforcement areas, and habitat restoration measures to rebuild fish stocks.

5. Require Artificial Reef Design in Turbine Structures

Engineer turbine foundations to function as artificial reefs that support marine biodiversity and fish nursery habitats.

6. Provide Livelihood Protection and Economic Transition Support

Establish compensation, alternative livelihoods, enterprise development, aquaculture, fish processing facilities, and fisherfolk support programs during project transition.

7. Guarantee Local Employment and Skills Development

Commit to local hiring quotas, fisherfolk workforce inclusion, blue-green skills training, and scholarship programs for affected communities.

8. Strengthen Marine Enforcement and Monitoring

Fund patrol boats, biodiversity monitoring, and anti-illegal fishing enforcement to improve long-term fisheries governance.

9. Ensure Safety and Disaster Preparedness

Given San Miguel Bay’s typhoon and seismic vulnerability, require strict engineering, emergency response systems, and operational safety guarantees.

10. Secure Genuine Social License to Operate

Ensure project approval depends on informed, continuous, and meaningful consent from affected coastal communities—not merely procedural consultation.

Bottom line: The offshore wind project should not be just an energy project—it must become a model of equitable coexistence between renewable energy, marine conservation, and fisherfolk livelihoods.

To ensure that the project benefits are not extractive but inclusive, a Multistakeholders Consultative Council of coastal residents with the LGUs, CSOs, NGAs, Academe and democratically selected leaders of fisherfolks organizations must convene to plan and set up mechanisms of local consultation. Equitable coexistence begins with the absolute physical and spatial protection of our waters, ensuring that industrial infrastructure never infringes upon the biological and economic lifelines of the bay.