Offshore Wind Power Act to Take Effect...
Expectations for Designation as the Nation's First Preliminary Zone
Goheung County in South Jeolla Province is accelerating its bid for designation as a government preliminary offshore wind zone by completing an innovative coexistence model under the principle of "offshore wind decided directly by fishermen."
On the 4th, the county held the "Goheung County Fisheries Cooperative Regional Offshore Wind Coexistence Committee Launch Preparatory Meeting" at the county office's Uju Hall, attended by about 90 people including County Governor Gong Youngmin, Lee Hongjae, chair of the Goheung County Fisheries Cooperative, and fishermen representatives.
Goheung County held a "Preparatory Meeting for the Launch of the Goheung County Fisheries Cooperative Regional Offshore Wind Coexistence Committee" on the 4th at Uju Hall in the county office, with about 90 people in attendance, including County Governor Gong Yeongmin, Lee Hongjae, chairman of the Goheung County Fisheries Cooperative, and fishermen representative committee members. Provided by Goheung County
This meeting marked the second achievement following the establishment of the Naro Island Fisheries Cooperative regional body in November last year, finally completing a robust public-private cooperation system that covers all sea areas of Goheung County.
The newly formed Coexistence Committee is a key body that breaks away from the past practice of indiscriminate development led by private operators and instead allows fishermen, the actual stewards of the sea, to directly decide whether and how development will proceed.
Going forward, the committee will play a substantive decision-making role by participating in environmental and resource surveys for offshore wind sites, deliberating on major agenda items, and identifying coexistence strategies.
In particular, during this meeting the committee adopted its operating regulations and appointed co-chairs and 55 fishermen representative members, laying the groundwork for the organization’s operation.
The participants also held in-depth discussions on the impact of offshore wind on fishing grounds and corresponding response measures, creating a venue for transparent information sharing.
Goheung County expects that the establishment of this Coexistence Committee will go beyond forming a simple consultative body and serve as a decisive turning point for being designated as the "nation’s first preliminary zone" under the Offshore Wind Power Act, which is scheduled to take effect in March this year.
The county has already been selected for two government research projects (with a total budget of 7.5 billion won) last year and is currently developing a 2 GW planned offshore wind site, having secured policy momentum through a grand compromise with fishermen.
In his greeting, County Governor Gong Youngmin stated, "We will not pursue any offshore wind project that fishermen cannot accept," adding, "The county will take responsibility and disclose all information transparently, and we will create the nation’s best public-led model in which fishermen and the fisheries cooperative directly decide everything from the implementation method to coexistence measures."
Lee Hongjae, chair of the Goheung County Fisheries Cooperative, said, "This launch is highly meaningful in that fishermen, who have protected the sea for decades, become the main actors leading orderly development," and added, "We will complete a genuine coexistence model that puts the protection of fishermen’s rights and interests first."
Using the launch of this Offshore Wind Coexistence Committee as a starting point, the county plans to complete its preliminary zone application in March and, in August, hold the "Offshore Wind Coexistence Committee Grand Coexistence Festival with County Residents," which will be attended by about 500 people, in order to further expand public consensus among residents.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
