Members of the Barangay Maslog Fishermen’s Association (BaMFA) in Lawaan, Eastern Samar, have earned PHP62,000 in gross sales after harvesting 310 kilograms of milkfish from their cage culture project, managed under the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) Special Area for Agricultural Development (SAAD) Program.

The harvest on Monday highlighted the association’s gains from months of aquaculture operations supported by the government’s livelihood program, according to BFAR.

Since 2023, BaMFA has been managing a PHP1.3-million milkfish culture project using high-density polyethylene cages, with support from the SAAD program that included fingerlings, aquafeeds, and other production inputs.

“Alongside production support, the program has provided a series of specialized capacity-building interventions, including technical training in aquaculture management and organizational development,” the BFAR regional office said.

BFAR said the association has so far produced two metric tons of milkfish, generating cumulative sales of PHP472,480, demonstrating the growing viability of aquaculture enterprises among organized fisherfolk groups in the province.

To sustain the project’s gains, the Provincial Project Management Support Office in Eastern Samar is set to extend additional assistance in the second semester of the year.

The support package will include fingerlings, aquafeeds, and capability-building training to help the association expand its cage-culture operations and improve productivity, resilience, and sustainability.

BaMFA is one of 29 fisherfolk associations in Eastern Samar that benefit from the SAAD program.

The program has provided PHP10.8 million in fisheries support across the province to boost food security, livelihoods, and sustainable fisheries among coastal communities.

BFAR-SAAD is a government program aimed at reducing fisherfolk poverty in low-income provinces through livelihood projects, technical training, and enterprise support. (PNA)