Philippine Fishing Industry Told to Drop Bunker Fuel, Use Renewable Energy

by Ship & Bunker News Team
Monday August 25, 2014

Fishermen in Dagupan City, Philippines are being called on to reduce their use of fossil fuels in favour of renewable energy sources, the Philippine Daily Inquirer reports.

"We are seriously looking at this," said Benjamin Tobias, assistant director of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR).

"We are planning it on the basis of what we think it should be in the future.

"In the future, we should be more independent from traditional power sources, like diesel, bunker fuel and coal."

Tobias said fishermen in Mindanao have begun using sails to get to fishing grounds, using their engines only for the return trip.

Many also use wind-powered water pumps, and BFAR is now testing solar-powered milkfish ponds and cages.

A new BFAR building will also be solar panel-ready.

"We want the building to be operating off the grid some times of the year, like during the typhoon months," Tobias said.

"We are not in favor of operating a generator."

Wind power is said to be particularly cost-effective for small vessels, which can achieve larger relative savings by using sails.