The Sustainable Mariculture Investment Program (SMIP) of the Development Bank of the Philippines being undertaken by the Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center/Aquaculture Department (SEAFDEC/AQD) in partnership with the Taytay sa Kauswagan, Inc. (TSKI) recognizes the important role of improved human capacity towards achieving its overall goal. Training in all aspects of fish culture activities from the management and rearing of quality broodstock, hatchery, fingerling production and grow-out are essential. However similar with other enterprises, adequate understanding and skills in business planning and financial management are needed to ensure sustainability of aquaculture enterprises.

The need for training on business planning, financial management and related topics such as market development and value chain analysis became evident during the assessment of selected mariculture sites identified under the SMIP. The assessment involved socioeconomic and bio-technological surveys of the sites, namely: (1) the Panabo Mariculture Park being managed by the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources-Regional Fisheries Training Centers (BFAR-RFTC) Region 11; (2) Brgy. Tagabuli mariculture area, under the supervision of the municipal government of Sta Cruz, Davao del Sur; and (3) Brgy. Sinawilan mariculture area, under the custody of the local government of Digos City also in Davao del Sur. The assessment noted the important role of small-scale fishfarmers and stakeholders that perform operations in support of the mariculture activities in the selected sites. In spite of the important role of small-scale operators, this sector expressed having inadequate industry information and limited skills to meet requirements in mariculture development activities. In particular, small-scale fishfarmers expressed the need for training on business planning and the possibility of linking them to fund sources because the lack of capital has always been critical constraint among small-scale fishfarmers.

Thus, based on the issues and concerns learned from the survey of mariculture stakeholders conducted by SEAFDEC/AQD and TSKI from June to August 2011, a training workshop intended for small-scale mariculture stakeholders was conducted in the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist located in Digos City, Davao del Sur.