Solar Powered Central Landing Area for Night Fishing in the Lagonoy Gulf, Philippines

In the Philippines, improved fishing technologies and industrialised tuna fishing have become highly effective but this has come at a high ecological price, ultimately affecting fish stocks and, consequently, the income of fisherfolk. Handline fishing, due to its selective nature, reduces the impact on ecosystems and, at the same time, it is broad-based and inclusive in providing a highly profitable livelihood to tens of thousands of small-scale Filipino fisherfolk. Presently, small-scale fisherfolk land their catch indiscriminately in varying locations, sometimes on unsanitary beaching areas. However, the local action plan for addressing the sustainability of fisheries and good hygienic practices in fish handling advocates a centralised, sanitary landing area in order to efficiently monitor the volume of the catch and, ultimately, to make accurate assessments of present fish stocks for sound fisheries management. The aim of this project is to improve the value chain of tuna handline fisheries by establishing a solar-powered central landing site for night fishing activities. This will make use of battery array and light-emitting diode (LED) technology. A centralised area for fisherfolk to offload their catch will ensure the freshness and quality of all landed tuna, which will safeguard stable prices and, accordingly, ensure a steady income stream for small-scale fisherfolk. Furthermore, the project will explore the potential for using the excess energy for value-added activities such as the post-harvest processing of tuna products. The project partners are Kabang Kalikasan ng Pilipinas Foundation, Inc. / WWF Philippines, Philips and the Municipality of San Jose.