MACABALAN, Cagayan de Oro City – To evaluate the viability and growth of fisherfolk-led enterprises, the Special Area for Agricultural Development (SAAD) Program Phase 2 of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources – Region 10 (BFAR-10) conducted an Enterprise Profitability Assessment (EPA) for capture fisheries beneficiaries from October 13 to 17, 2025.

Among the 41 SAAD Phase 2 beneficiaries in Northern Mindanao, the Samahang ng Mananagat sa Snowland (SMS) in Libertad, Misamis Oriental, and the Punta Catarman Community Fishing Association (PCCFA) in Catarman, Camiguin, were the focus of this week-long activity to assess their enterprises’ performances and sustainability.

Spearheading the initiative, the assessment was led by the SAAD Regional Program Management Support Office (RPMSO) through its Marketing Assistance and Enterprise Development (MAED) component, to determine whether the associations have been substantially progressing since the program’s inception in 2023 and to identify the necessary interventions to further support their future enterprises.

During the five-day activity, the participating fisherfolk associations were consulted through data-gathering sessions facilitated by the SAAD RPMSO team. The activity also included market mapping to assess existing and potential market opportunities in strategic areas that serve as distribution hubs for their community-based enterprises (CBEs).

After this activity, the data gathered by the team will undergo a comprehensive review and analysis to measure each association’s profitability, identify operational challenges, and formulate tailored strategies that will enhance their production, marketing, and financial management capacities. The results will also serve as basis for designing future enterprise development interventions under the SAAD Program.

These efforts collectively form part of the program’s continuing initiatives to strengthen community-based enterprises and ensure their long-term sustainability. Moreover, the fisherfolk will embrace an entrepreneurial mindset and transform from traditional subsistence fishing to sustainable, profit-driven practices.

Ultimately, through this assessment, SAAD Northern Mindanao reaffirms its commitment to ensuring that the assistance extended under the program translates into tangible progress and lasting livelihood opportunities for capture fisheries groups and their communities.