LINGAYEN–An inter-agency committee has been formed by the provincial government to investigate the proliferation of commercial floating fish cages near Cabalantian Island in Sual Bay, feared to be posing serious danger to the 1,200 megawatt Sual Coal-fired Power Plant.

Provincial Administrator Rafael Baraan said the committee is composed of representatives of the provincial government, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Environment Management Bureau, Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources and the Philippine Ports Authority.

The body will look into the complaint that the proliferation of 778 fish cages along the Sual Bay near the coal-fired plant poses physical dangers to the turbines of the power plant, aside from possible security risks.

Baraan said the committee will have to act immediately and submit its recommendations to Gov. Amado Espino Jr. because the Sual Plant is a major source of electricity, providing power to the Luzon Grid.

Sual Mayor Roberto Arcinue, however, has defended the location of the fish cages citing its distance to be too far away to pose a hazard to the power plant even as he underscored the fact that the floating contraptions are a big source of income to the municipality.

BFAR Regional Director Nestor Domenden confirmed there are now 778 fish cages along the Sual Bay from only 50 that were legally operating on a 50-hectare area earlier delineated for mariculture purposes by his office.

ECC

Before getting a permit from the local government of Sual, the owners of fish cages are required to first secure an Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) from the Environment Management Bureau of DENR.

Baraan and Domenden suspect that the new fish cages in the area may not have been issued ECCs prior to the issuance of a local government permit and are therefore operating illegally.

Domenden, meanwhile, said the quality of water in the area remains good.

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