Plight of Verde Island Passage fisherfolk highlighted at UN Ocean Conference

Nice, France – The stories and struggles of Filipino fisherfolk took the spotlight at a side event as the United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC3) kicked off this week. 

Speaking on Local Leadership on the Frontlines of the Ocean-Climate Nexus, Avril De Torres from sustainability think tank Center for Energy, Ecology, and Development (CEED) called attention to the urgency of protecting the globally significant biodiversity hotspot Verde Island Passage from the continuing development of fossil fuel facilities in its vicinity, which places the livelihoods of coastal communities and their right to a healthy environment in peril. CEED is among the groups behind the global campaign to Protect Verde Island Passage (Protect VIP).

“Our fisherfolk and coastal communities are leading the resistance against fossil gas expansion and destructive industrial activities across our seas and coasts,” said de Torres. “The Verde Island Passage is a microcosm of this destruction in the Philippines and Southeast Asia, directly threatening livelihoods, food security, and the cultural fabric of local communities. This is happening despite the area being recognized as the ‘center of the center of marine shore fish biodiversity’ on our planet.”

The Verde Island Passage, often referred to as the ‘Amazon of the ocean’, runs through several coastal provinces in the Philippines, including Batangas and Oriental Mindoro. These provinces are now grappling with the dual burden of ecological degradation and economic displacement due to aggressive fossil fuel expansion and destructive industrial activities.

Batangas has emerged as the epicenter of fossil gas development in the Philippines. It currently hosts 5 of the country’s 6 operating gas plants and 10 of 35 proposed liquefied natural gas (LNG) and gas-fired power plants, totaling over 14 GW in planned capacity. Additionally, it has been inundated with two newly operational LNG import terminals, with three more projects in the pipeline, amounting to 11.8 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) in additional capacity.

“Communities are bearing the brunt of these fossil fuel developments,” de Torres added. “Fishers along the coasts of Batangas report that catch volumes have dropped significantly since operations began. Where they once hauled 10 kilograms of fish, now they consider it a good day to bring in just 10 pieces.”

In February 2023, the environmental crisis escalated when the MT Princess Empress, a tanker carrying 900,000 liters of industrial oil, capsized in the waters of Oriental Mindoro. The incident caused an estimated P41.2 billion (USD 735 million) in economic and environmental damage, according to a CEED study. The tanker was chartered by a subsidiary of San Miguel Corporation, a major player in the region’s fossil gas expansion. 

“The compensation provided to affected communities has been grossly inadequate,” said de Torres. “Some families received only P20,000 (USD 357) – barely enough to cover all losses from months of a fishing ban, especially those supporting children in school. Fisherfolk who once caught over 100 kilograms of fish a day now struggle to net even one, earning as little as P200 (USD 3.58) daily.” 

The panel also featured global grassroots leaders, including Indigenous representatives, small-scale fishers, and coastal stewards, all of whom maintain deep ancestral and cultural ties to the ocean. De Torres underscored not only the ecological importance of VIP but also its cultural significance to generations of coastal communities.

In light of this, de Torres and fellow advocates are renewing calls to designate the Verde Island Passage as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, recognizing it not only as a global biodiversity hotspot but also as a living cultural landscape that sustains traditional knowledge, practices, and livelihoods. Such designation would help secure stronger protections against destructive industrial activity and affirm the ocean’s ancestral role in the identity and survival of the communities that depend on it.

The UN Ocean Conference brings together a diverse range of stakeholders, including governments, UN agencies, intergovernmental organizations, financial institutions, and civil society organizations. The conference will culminate in the launch of the Nice Action Plan on June 13, aimed at advancing global commitments for ocean protection and climate resilience.