Commissioner Andres M. Mane: A Pillar of Philippine Fisheries Industry

By
Melchor F. Cichon
August 31, 2006

Because of Kanduli (Arius manilensis (Umali, 1936), the young Andres M. Mane switched his interest from agriculture to fisheries.

Kanduli is a native catfish found in Laguna de Bay.

Andres Mane was born in Mayondon, Los Baños, Laguna.

Being a bright pupil, Andres jumped from elementary to college, without passing through high school.
He enrolled at the U.P . College of Agriculture in Los Baños, Laguna and finished two degrees. The University of the Philippines Alumni Directory (1970, p. 698) says Mane finished :Bachelor of Agriculture in 1929 and a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture in 1932.

Through the suggestion of Dr. Deogracias Villadolid, Mane studied the spawning of kanduli at Laguna de Bay for his thesis. The result of his study, "Preliminary study of the life history and habits of kanduli (Arius sp.) in Laguna de Bay, Philippines", was published in Philippine Agriculture.

This was the turning point of his career and he retired from the government services as a Commissioner of the Philippine Fisheries Commission in 1972.

After his graduation from college, he worked in several government offices. He worked as scientific fishery assistant and deputy warden at the Fish and Game Administration of the Bureau of Science.

He served as the first Superintendent of the Philippine Institute of Fisheries Technology, the first fisheries school in the Philippines and the forerunner of the College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, UP in the Visayas. He was also responsible for the establishment of other fisheries schools in the Philippines.

Commissioner Mane worked at the National Economic Council (NEC), now NEDA, where he got his training on economics. He then served as Chief National Planner in Agriculture including fisheries and helped draft the First Comprehensive Socio-Economic Development Program of the then Pres. Diosdado Macapagal.
From NEC, he was hired as Acting Commissioner of the Philippine Fisheries Commission until his retirement in 1972.

He then worked as consultant for the SEAFDEC-AQD in Tigbauan, Iloilo, after which he worked as chairman of the Board of the Rural Bank of Paete, and as Director of the Rural Bank of Mabitac.

As a commissioner, Mane attended four international conferences namely: the 14th Session of the FAO in Rome, Italy on November 4-23, 1967; Inaugural meeting of the Council of Southeast Asian fisheries Development Center at Bangkok; International Seminar sponsored by the German Foundation for Developing Countries held at Berlin-Tegel, Germany, September –October 1968; and the 13th Council Meeting of the Indo-Pacific Fisheries Council held at Brisbane, Australia from October 14, 1968.

Probably because of his administrative positions, Commissioner Mane had very few (6) publications.

Below is the list of his publications on fisheries:

Mane, A. M. and D. K. Villaluz. 1939. The pukot fisheries of Laguna de Bay. Phil. Journ. Sci. 69:397-413.

Mane, A. M. and Mariano A. Abagon. 1950. A survey of fisheries educational institutions. Bull Fish. Soc. Phil. 1:20-26.

Mane, Andres M. 1929. Preliminary study of the life history and habits of kanduli (Arius sp.) in Laguna de Bay. Philippines Agri. 18(2):21-117

Mane, Andres M. 1937. Spawning and feeding habits of ayungin, Misopristes plumbea Kner, a common theraponid in Laguna de Bay. Philiippine Agri. 23 (6):502-513.

Mane, Andres M. 1981. Management and maintenance of fishpens in Laguna de Bay. In REPORT OF THE TRAINING COURSE ON SMALL-SCALE PEN AND CAGE CULTURE FOR FINFISH by Guerrero, R.D. III,Soesanto, V. Series title: Project reports (not in a Series) - SCS/GEN/82/34 1982 p. 262 pg

Villadolid, D. V. A. M. Mane, and B. Ongchangco. 1941. Opportunities in Philippine fisheries. Dept. Agri and Com. Year Book for 1940, pp. 701-710.

Sources:

Anonymous. October, 1968. The reigning triumvirate at the Fisheries Commission. The Fisheries Gazette, October 1968, pp. 6-8.

Tolentino, Angelina M. A legacy for fisheries. PCAMRD Waves, april-June 1997, p.8.

(Note: For comments and suggestions, please send email to:melcichon@yahoo.com)

Dr. Benjamin Jareta Gonzales: The Multi-Specialist

By
Melchor F. Cichon
August 24, 2006
Updated: May 14, 2009

It’s breathtaking looking at the full-pack 22-page bio-data of Dr. Benjamin J. Gonzales.

In a span of 25 years from the time he graduated from his B.S. Fisheries at the College of Fisheries, U.P. (now College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, UP in the Visayas) until this time as Vice President for Research, Extension, and Development of the Western Philippines University,he has accomplished so much specially on fisheries resource management.

He has published 7 books and booklets, 5 chapters of different books, 21 journal articles, four brochures, 2 magazine articles, and 3 unpublished papers, and 4 papers presented in symposia. He has held various administrative posts and has conducted numerous researches.

He has practically visited the whole Philippines from Aparri to General Santos and has gone to Canada and Japan either as a resource person or a presenter/lecturer.

He too has been a member of the following scientific organizations:

Aquaculture Society of Japan, 1995
Asian Fisheries Society, 1997
Federation of Institutions of Marine Science and Fisheries, 2004
Ichthyological Society of Japan, 1993
Japanese Society of Fisheries Science, 1995
Kurosho Sphere, 1994
Network for Tropical Fisheries Scientist, 1996

Dr. Gonzales was born in Iloilo City on September 13, 1957. His mother is a retired principal of UP High School in Iloilo where he also graduated. After finishing high school, the young Benjamin took a fisheries degree at the College of Fisheries in Diliman, Quezon City, majoring in Marine Fisheries.

Four events and motivations led him to take up fisheries.

1. His inherent love for fishes. During his early high school days, he loved to observe fishes in the aquarium. He was curious on how they sleep, their food preferences, how they breed, etc.

2. When he saw in the newspaper the photograph of the R/V Albacore, the then newly acquired research vessel of UP College of Fisheries, he told himself that one day he would board this ship.

3. He was motivated by the success of his uncle in his fisheries career.

4. He was inspired by the macho and tough image of fishermen.

After graduation he worked as a checker at the Milita Shipyard, Malabon, Metro Manila. Then he worked as a fisherman and net mender at Ricsan Development Corporation, Navotas, Metro Manila. On 1982 to 1987, he worked as a fishery industry specialist at Palawan National Agricultural College Regional Institute of Fisheries Technology.

He then took his master of science at Koichi University in Japan in 1994 majoring in marine biology. Three years after that, he received his Ph. D. in fish ecology and population genetics at Ehime University, Japan.. His dissertation is entitled: Ecological and genetic studies on the biodiversity of dragonets (Gobiesociformes: Callionymidae) in Southwestern Japan.

It was in Japan where his expertise in various aspects of fisheries was developed.

Let us hear directly from him:

"Dr. Benjamin Gonzales is a Fisheries and Coastal Resource Management Specialist, a full-fledged professor, scientist/researcher, and an academician.

"He works extensively on various aspects of the coastal resource management since 1989.

"Dr. Gonzales specializes in studies of biodiversity of fishes and integrated coastal resource management, which include resource assessments, resource protection and rehabilitation, and project impact assessments.

"He was engaged as Fisheries and Coastal Management Adviser and Integrated Coastal Resource Management Specialist in the ADB and JBIC funded BFAR-Fisheries Resource Management Project for six years.

"Also behind him is his four-year experience in a co-management project in coastal resources in partnership with the Marine Institute International of the Memorial University of Newfoundland, Canada, which included a cross study visit regarding Professionalization of Fisheries and Implications of Fisheries Science to Fisheries Management in Canada.

"He also works as researcher for fish visual census in coral reefs.

"His works in CRM, particularly, on integrated coastal resource protection and rehabilitation gained popularity not only in Palawan, but also in other regions of the country, Bicol and Caraga.

"He served as adviser, consultant, project leader, team leader, and researcher in many fish and coastal and marine resource conservation and development projects, including island resources, bay environmental profile, and coastal resource assessments.

"He headed numerous coastal resource projects funded by both local and foreign agencies and documents his experiences, gained skills, and knowledge in numerous books, manuals, and papers which he authored, "Palawan Foodfishes", "Honda Bay Fisheries Management", "Puerto Bay and Honda Bay, Palawan: an Ecological Profile", "Healing Nature with ICRM, Implementor’s Perspective", etc. His complete list of publications can be found at the end of this write-up.

"He administered and organized uncountable local and national CRM related workshops, and international workshops on CRM-Philippines funded by CIDA.

"He also contributed as author to chapters of several CRM books.

"Dr. Gonzales has long teaching experience in subjects both in graduate and undergraduate school of the Western Philippines University: Study of fishes, fishing gears and technology, marine ecology, fisheries management, and population genetics.

"He organized and facilitated the workshop with his colleagues that lead to the drafting of six instructional manuals for different subjects in B. S. Fisheries Program. He spearheaded the accreditation of the B. S. Fisheries Program to become the Center of Excellence (COE) in Fisheries Education in Region IV.

"Dr. Gonzales was responsible for the creation of the Aquatic Biology Program of WPU, which is now gaining recognition for research. He also initiated the development of the M. Sc. in Marine Biology Program now offered at WPU.

"He served in the academe as Department Head, Chairman-on-Instruction, Officer-in-Charge, Campus Dean, and Vice President on Research and Extension."

"Dr. Gonzales has received various recognition and appreciation certificates for his contributions to fish conservation, coastal resource conservation and rehabilitation from: communities, LGUs, Regional Offices of BFAR, and the Academe.

"He was also featured in some books for his achievements in his field of expertise."

It cannot be denied that Dr. Gonzales has accomplished so much, yet he still wishes to do something more. He hopes to accomplish bigger book projects, maintain a wholesome family, and create a situation that warrants never ending research.

This is in line with his philosophy in life that knowledge has no boundaries, like human has and that we exist in this world for a purpose.

Here are some of the awards received by Dr. Gonzales:

3rd Best Research Paper, 10th Southern Luzon Zonal R and D Review, Ateneo de Manila University, November 10, 2006

Best Research Paper, 12th Southern Luzon R and D review, Southern Luzon State University, December 4, 2008

3rd Best Research Paper, National Aquatic Resources Research and Development System, PCAMRD, los Banos, Laguna, january 10, 2009
Outstanding Faculty member of WPU-PPC (2008-2009), Western Philippines University, Aborlan, Palawan, February 25, 2009.

The following are his publications that he authored and co-authored with other fisheries specialists.

Books

Gonzales, B. J. 2000. Palawan Foodfishes. Palawan Sustainable Development Communications, Corp. 90 pages.

Gonzales, B. J. and J. E. Santa Ana. 2002. Solid Waste Management Training Manual for Local Government, FRMP information paper no. 66. Fisheries Resource Management Project, Bureau of Fisheries and AquaticResources. Department of Agriculture, Quezon City, Philippines. 78 p.

Gonzales, B. J. 2004. Puerto Princesa Bay and Honda Bay: an ecologicalprofile. FRMP Technical Monograph Series, No. 8 (Ablaza, E C. eds.).Fisheries Resource Management Project, Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources. Department of Agriculture, Quezon City, Philippines. 28 p.

Gonzales, B. J. 2005. A Guide to species selection and principles of stock enhancement in the Philippines (Roldan, R., Ablaza, E. C., Muñoz, J.C., eds.). Fisheries Resource Management Project, Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources. Department of Agriculture, Quezon City, Philippines. 27 p.

Gonzales, B. J. 2005. Palawan Foodfishes, 2nd Ed. BFAR-Fisheries Resource Management Project-Philippine Information Agency, Quezon City Philippines. 100 p.

Gonzales, B. J. and A. L. Avillanosa. 2006. Lecture manuela on fish genetics (T. Abella, ed.). College of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, Western Philippines University, Puerto Princesa City, Philippines, 63p.

Pagliawan, H. B., H.P. Palla, and B. J. Gonzales. 2006. lecture manual in fishing technology (Fish 130) (Gonzales, B, J., ed.) College of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, Western Philippines University, Puerto Princesa City, Philippines. 63 p.

Book Chapters

Gonzales, B. J. 1999. Species diversity of dragonet fishes along thebathymetrical gradient of Tosa Bay, Japan. Proceedings of the symposium on marine biodiversity in Visayas and Mindanao. W.L. Campos, Ed.. Univ. Phils. in the Vis. 69-73.

Gonzales, B. J. 2004. Fisheries management in Honda Bay, p. 305-311. In DA-BFAR (Department of Agriculture-Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources). In turbulent seas: The status of Philippine marine fisheries. Coastal Resource Management Project, Cebu City, Philippines, 378 p.

Gonzales, B. J. 2005. Community-based stock enhancement of topshell in Honda Bay, Palawan, Philippines. In Report of regional consultation on stock enhancement of species under international concern. Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center (SEAFDEC), AQD., Iloilo City, Philippines, July 13-15, 2005. XX p (in press.)

Gonzales, B. J. 2005. Basic taxonomy and biology of fishes, p. 97-112. In A handbook on fishery law enforcement team training. Fisheries Resource Management Project, Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources. Department of Agriculture, Quezon City, Philippines, 190 p.

Gonzales, B. J. and E. T. Bhagwani. 2005. Healing nature with ICRM. In Faces of the Sea Implementors’ Perspective, M. A. D. Pascua Ed., p. 7-16. Fisheries Resource Management Project, Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources and the Philippine Information Office. Department of Agriculture, Quezon City, Philippines, 60 p.

Gonzales, b. J., W. M Galon and J. G. Becira. 2006. Community-based stock enhancement of topshell in Honda Bay, Palawan, Philippines, pp. 49-59. In: Proceedings of the regional technical consultation on stock enhancement for threatened species of international concern. Aquaculture Department, Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center (SEAFDEC), Tigbauan 5021, Iloilo, Philippines. 150p.


Papers in Journal

Gonzales, B.J. 1993. The Department of Agriculture. Rep. Inst. Kuroshi Sphere, Kochi Univ., 8: 12-19.

Gonzales, B.J., O. Okamura, K. Nakamura and H. Miyahara. 1994. New
Record of annular sole, Synaptura annularis (Soliedae, Pleuronectiformes) from Japan. Jap. J. Ichthyol., 40: 491-494.

Mishina H. and B.J.Gonzales. 1994. Some biological and ecological aspects on Cromileptes altivelis around Palawan Island, Philippines. Bull. Jap. Aqua. Soc., 42: 345-349. (In Japanese with English abstract.)

Gonzales, B.J.,R.G. Dolorosa, R. Blanco, O. Okamura and T. Maeda. 1994. An artificially made seagrass bed: Its ecological role in a shallow subtidal zone and probable consequences. Bull. Mar. Sci. Fish., Kochi Univ., 14: 57-61.

Gonzales, B.J. and R.G. Dolorosa. 1994. A survey of the serranid and lutjanid fishes in Ulugan Bay, Northwestern Palawan, with notes on their economic aspects. PNAC- Inst. Mar. Sci. Res. J., 1: 32-40.

Gonzales, B.J. and O. Okamura. 1995. Rare occurrence of Bathycallionymus formosanus (Teleostei: Callionymidae) in Tosa Bay. Southern Japan, with ecological notes and recent list of callionymids in the Bay. SPCP-Inst. Mar. Sci. Res. J., 2: 28-36.

Gonzales, B.J. and N. Taniguchi. 1995. Spiny lobster- fishery in Palawan, Philippines: with considerations on its conservation and Management. Bull. Mar. Sci. Fish., Kochi Univ., 15: 121-130.

Gonzales, B.J., O. Okamura and N. Taniguchi. 1996. Spawning behavior of laboratory-reared dragonet, Repomucenus huguenini, and development of its eggs and prolarvae. Suisanzoshoku (Bull. Jap. Aqua. Soc.), 44: 7-15.

Gonzales, B.J., N. Taniguchi and S. Seki. 1996. Genetic markers for twelve species, five genera of dragonets (Gobiesociformes: Callionymidae) revealed through Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA (RAPD) Assay. Fish Genetics and Breeding Science, No. 23: 75-83.

Gonzales, B.J., N. Taniguchi, O. Okamura and Y. Machida. 1996. Diet and Feeding Bahavior of two dragonets Calliurichthys japonicus and Repomucenus huguenini in Tosa Bay, Southern Japan. Fisheries Science, 62: 902-908.

Gonzales, B.J. and N. Watanuki. 1996. Mangrove shoreline fishes of Ulugan Bay, Palawan. SPCP-IMS Res. Journal, SPCP-IMS, 3: 1-10.

Gonzales, B.J., N. Taniguchi, and O. Okamura. 1997. Spawning cycle of two dragonets Calliurichthys japonicus and Repomucenus huguenini in Tosa Bay, Southern Japan. Fisheries Science, 63: 15-21.

Gonzales, B.J. and T.L. Salva. 1997. A larged-sized giant freshwater prawn Macrobrachium rosenbergii (DeMan) from Dumaran Palawan. SPCP-IMS Res. Journal, SPCP-IMS, 4: 20-24.

Gonzales, B.J. 1997. Five commonly used fishing gears by small-scale fishermen in Palawan, Philippines and some of their implications to fishery management. SPCP- Aqua. Sci. Tech. Inst. Res. J.
Salva, T.L. and B.J. Gonzales. 1997. The SPCP-ASTI initiatives in the Coastal Resource Management of Palawan, Philippines. SPCP- Aqua. Sci. Tech. Inst. Res. J.

Gonzales, B.J. and N. Taniguchi. 1997. Habitat and reproductive traits similarities of dragonet fishes in Tosa Bay, Japan, with notes on their evolutionary history, Bull. Mar. Sci. and Fish, Kochi Univ., 17: 89-96.

Gonzales, B.J., S. Seki, and N. Taniguchi. 1997. Genetic relationships among thirteen species of dragonets (Gobiesociformes: Callionymidae) inferred from allozyme markers, Bull. Mar. Sci. and Fish, Kochi Univ., 17: 97-107.

Gonzales, B. J. 2000. Length-weight relationship of five serranids from Palawan Island, Philippines. Naga, the ICLARM Quarterly. 23, 3: 26-28.

Galon, W., B. J Gonzales, and Becira, J. 2005. Impact assessment of topshell stock enhancement in Honda Bay, Palawan. A paper presented during the Annual Convention of the Federation of Institutions for Marine and Freshwater Sciences (FIMFS), Mindanao State University, Naawan, October 14-16, 2005.

Becira, J., B. J Gonzales, and W. Galon. 2006. Protected versus unprotected area with reference to fishes, corals, macro- invertebrates, and CPUE in Honda Bay, Palawan. The Palawan Scientist, West. Phils. Univ. XX: XX-XX. (in press)

Watanuki, N. and B. J. Gonzales. 2006. The potential of artificial reefs as fisheries management tools in developing countries. Bulletin of Marine Science, 78 (1): 9-19.

Gonzales, B. J., W. Galon, and J. Becira. 2006. Community-based stock enhancement of topshell in Honda Bay, Palawan, Philippines. Report on the regional technical consultation on stock enhancement of species under international concern. SEAFDEC, AQD. (in press)

Mishina, H., B. J. gonzales, H. b. Pagliawan, M. Moteki and H. Kohno. 2006. reproductive biology of blacktip grouper, Epinephelus fasciatus, in sulu Sea, Philippines. Extrait de La mer (Bulletin de la Societe franco-japonaise d'oceanographie). Tome 44, Nummero 1 Fevrier 2006.

Gonzales, b. J. and M. V. Matillano. 2008. Irrawaddy dolphin conservation in the fisheries of Malampaya Inner Sound, Palawan, Philippines. Memoirs of Faculty of Fisheries, Kagoshima University, Faculty of Fisheries, Kagoshima University, Kagoshima Japan. Special issue 2008: 16-25.

Brochures:

Gonzales, B. J. 1997. Ang Lapu- lapung Senyorita. SPCP-ASTI Information Series No. 1, June 1997.

Dolorosa, R.G. and B.J. Gonzales 1998. Information on the Giant Freshwater Prawn, Ulang. SPCP-ASTI Information Series No. 1, June 1998.

Gonzales, B. J. 2005. Facts about Topshell. Fisheries Resource Management Project-DA-BFAR (Department of Agriculture-Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources) Estuar Building, Quezon Avenue, Quezon City.

Gonzales, B. J. 2005. Impact Assessment of Fish Sanctuary in Binduyan, Honda Bay. Fisheries Resource Management Project-DA-BFAR (Department of Agriculture-Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources) Estuar Building, Quezon Avenue, Quezon City.

Articles

Gonzales, B.J. 2001. Measuring the threat to fish species and populations.Sagip Dagat Bulletin. DA-BFAR, FRMP.4th: 8-9.

Gonzales, B.J. 2002. Trochus restocking as enhancement intervention. Sagip Dagat Bulletin. DA-BFAR, FRMP. 2nd: 11-13.

Unpublished


Gonzales, B. J., W. Galon, F. Galon, J. Becira, H. Pagliawan, E. Rodriguez, G. Bactol, and R. Venturillo. 2005. Resource Assessment for fish sanctuary establishment, St. Paul’s Bay, Western Palawan, Philippines. SAGUDA Palawan, Inc. Puerto Princesa City, Philippines.

Gonzales, B. J. 2005. Facts about five fishes: with reference to their acceptability as cage culture species in Palawan, Philippines. Jeon Chon Fisheries and Agriculture Product Corporation and the Palawan Council for Sustainable Development, Palawan, Philippines.

Gonzales, B. J, Pagliawan, H, and Rodriguez, E. 2005. Diversity and Catalogue of Palawan Fishes, Philippines. A paper presented as poster during the Annual Symposium of the Philippine Association of Marine Science, Palawan State University, Palawan, October 20-22, 2005.

Gonzales, B.J. R. S. Sariego, W. Galon, H. Pagliawan, J. Becira, I. M. P. Benliro, E. Rodriguez, Bernaldo Montaño, and N. Dieron. Pandan island resource assessment: with recommendations for conservation and developmental planning. Western Philippines University and the Legend Hotels International. 56p.

Dr. Herminio R. Rabanal: Filipino Fisheries Scientist at the Forefront

By

Melchor F. Cichon
August 23, 2006

The pamphlet prepared by the SEAFDEC-AQD Library in 1999 lists 208 publications authored and co-authored by Dr. Herminio R. Rabanal. It includes technical, semi-technical and popular papers on aquaculture, fisheries biology and related subjects.

This reflects his varied talents, expertise, and exposures to various activities as a fisheries scientist and administrator

Dr. Rabanal was born on September 20, 1917 in Alaminos, Pangasinan to Vicente Rabanal and Elena Ranit.

In 1948, he married Eufronia A. Durvin and they were blessed with two children: Mario and Andrea.

He finished his Bachelor of Fisheries (Fish Culture) at the University of the Philippines, Diliman, Quezon City in 1940; his Master in Science (Marine Biology) at Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA in 1948; and his Ph. D. (Fisheries Management) at Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama, USA in 1960.

He had a special training on personnel management at the U.P. Institute of Public Administration, in 1954.

After graduation from college and from post-graduate studies, he worked in several agencies, both in the Philippines and abroad. From the pamphlet prepared by SEAFDEC-AQD and from his bio-data, we got this information about his work experiences:

1941-1942--Assistant Curator of the Fish Collection, Natural History, Museum Division, Department of Commerce.

1943-1944--Fish Culturist, Dagat-Dagatan Experimental Station, Bureau of Fisheries

1945-1946--Junior Scientist at the National Museum

1946-1967—from Fishery Officer to Chief of the Fish Culture Section of the Philippine Institute of Fisheries Technology

1967-1972—Fishery Officer (Inland Fisheries and Aquaculture), fisheries Department, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), Rome, Italy.

1968-1973—Co-editor, FAO Aquaculture Bulletin, Rome, Italy

1972-1974—Regional Aquaculture Adviser, FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific (RAPA), Bangkok, Thailand

1984-1980—Senior Aquaculture Development Officer, FAO/UNDP South China Sea Fisheries Development and Coordinating Programme (SCS), Manila, Philippines

1981-1985—Free-lance Consultant in Aquaculture performing short-term and medium consultancy to FAO, UNDP, world Bank, Asian Development Bank, USAID and Philippine government agencies and private companies. Based in Quezon City, Metro manila, Philippines

1985-1989—Senior Aquaculture Consultant, International Aquaculture Consultants, Inc., Makati, Metro Manila, Philippines.

1985- 1991—Member, External Evaluation Panel of an internationally conducted aquaculture research, USAID Pond Dynamics Aquaculture

1989-1992—Member, Governing Council of the Philippine Council for Aquatic Marine Research and Development (PCMRD), Los Baños, Laguna, Philippines

1990-1993—President and concurrent Chairman, Aquafarming Development Foundations, Inc., White Plains, Quezon City, Philippines

1985-?—Founding Member and Member, Board of Directors, Society of Aquaculture Engineers of the Philippines, Quezon City, Philippines

1986--?—Member, Board of Editors, Journal of Aquaculture in the Tropics, Oxford & IBH Publishing Co., Calcutta, India

1903-?—Member, Board of Editors, Aquaculture International, Journal of the European Aquaculture Society, Oostende, Belgium

1994-?—Chairman Emeritus and Senior Technical Adviser, Aquafarming Development Foundation, Inc., White Plains, Quezon City, Philippines

Dr. Rabanal has participated in numerous conferences, symposia, meetings and workshops worldwide.

In 1952, he attended the Fourth Indo-Pacific Fisheries Council Conference, Quezon City. He also participated in the 8th Pacific Science Congress (Member, Pondfish Culture Sub-Committee Oceanography Section), Quezon City, 1958.

The following year, he attended the 89th Annual Meeting of the American Fisheries Society, Clearwater, Florida.

Dr. Rabanal also attended the Asia Productivity Conference, Bureau of Fisheries, Manila in 1960 and the Agro-Industrial Conference of the National Science Development Board, Manila.

In 1961, he attended the Pacific Science Congress in Honolulu, Hawaii.

As mentioned above, Dr. Rabanal’s technical, semi-technical and popular papers on aquaculture, fisheries biology and related subjects are enormous.

Here are some of them:

Rabanal, H. R. 1940. A preliminary study of the composition of lab-lab or plant complex raised in bangos fishpond nurseries. B.S. Thesis, University of the Philippines. 48p.

Delmendo, M. N., Rabanal, H.R. 1956. Cultivation of ‘sugpo’ (jumbo tiger shrimp) Penaeus monodon fabricius, in the Philippines. Proc. IPFC 6(3):424-431 (Also in Phil .J. Fish 8(2):159-175 (1973)

Rabanal, H. R. and Hosillos, L. V. 1958. Control of less desirable exotic species of fish competing with or harmful to desirable indigenous species in inland waters in the Philippines. Phil J. Fish. 6(1):49-70.

Rabanal, H. R., Acosta, P.A., Delmendo, M. N. 1960. Limnological survey of Laguna de Bay—a pilot study on aquatic productivity. Phil. J. Fish. 8(1):101-111.

Juliano, R. O. Rabanal, H. R. 1963. The tolerance of milkfish fingerlings and fry, Chanos chanos (Forskal), to decreases in salinity. Copeia (1):180-181.

Yap, W. G. Rabanal, H. R., Llobrera, J. a. 1996. Winning the future in fisheries. Sampaloc, Manila, Philippines: Mary Jo Educational Supply. 132p.

Rabanal, H. R. 1999. The social responsibility of a scientist to transfer technology to end users. (8th Dean D. K. Villaluz Memorial Lecture delivered on the occasion of the 26th anniversary celebration of SEAFDEC-Aquaculture Department, Tigbauan, Iloilo, 8 July 1999.

Because of his expertise in fisheries, Dr. Rabanal became a member of several scientific societies and organizations:

American Association for the Advancement of Science
American Ecological Society
American Society of Limnology and Oceanography
Indian Academy of Zoology
National Geographic Society
National Research Council of the Philippines
Phi Sigma biological honor Society
Philippine Association for the Advancement of Science
Phycological Society of the Philippines
Soil Science Society of the Philippines;

For his distinguished contributions to the development of fisheries in the region, Dr. Rabanal was given various awards which includes the following:

1958-1961--John Simon Guggenheim Foundation Science Fellowship Award

September 24, 1965--Certificate of Merit for valuable contribution towards the development and improvement of agriculture and conservation of natural resources, by the Philippine Fisheries Commission, Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Manila, Philippines

January 19, 1987--Honorary Life Membership award to the World Aquaculture Society, WAS 18th Annual Convention, Guayaquil, Ecuador

October 23, 1997--Educator Awardee in Fish for Every Filipino Award sponsored by the Marine Fisheries Technology Foundation, Inc, DA-BFAR and the Fishing Industry in Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines

In 1999, Dr. Rabanal donated his collection of books, pamphlets, leaflets, journals, reprints, and papers authored or edited by him to the SEAFDEC-AQD Library for he believes in the saying: "information should not be kept rotting in a cabinet but rather, it should be made accessible and utilized."

That is Dr. Herminio Rabanal, the Filipino fisheries scientist and administrator, who was in the forefront in shaping the development of Philippine fisheries.

Sources:

His Curriculum Vitae, no date. Typewritten. 5 leaves.
The Library. SEAFDEC-AQD. Dr. Herminio R. Rabanal: Chronological List of Publications. Tigbauan, Iloilo: the Library, 1999. 27 p.

Dr. Albert Herre: A Pioneer in Philippine Fisheries Science

By

Melchor F. Cichon

Otolith, October-December 1986, pp. 11-12

When I asked some UPV College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences undergraduate students about Albert Herre, they thought he was a freshman student of the College or of the College of arts and Sciences. One student even ventured to ask me whether Herre is staying at the UPV Dormitory.

From their responses, I deduced that Dr. Albert Herre is a stranger to present fisheries students. This led me to look for some information about him. I was glad that Prof. Prudencia Conlu was still around. She is one of our renowned ichthyologists who had the opportunity to talk personally with Herre. It was from her that I learned much about the man.

Dr. Albert William Christian Theodore Herre came to the Philippines in 1920 and became the first Chief of the Department of Fisheries, Bureau of Science, Philippine Islands, from 1920 to 1928. After this, he returned to the United States of America for one year. But in 1931, he came back to the Philippines to survey the fisheries resources of the country and returned to the United States again. In 1933, he was again back as part of the expeditions in Pelews, Philippines, China and Malay Peninsula.

While in the Philippines, he extensively toured the archipelago. In his preface to his book, Stories of PhilippineFfishes, he said, “For many years it has been my privilege and delight to travel in all parts of the Philippines, to wander over all the large islands and to visit most of the inhabited islands and many, many on which no one lives. Many long and often difficult trips were taken in order to learn something of the fishes, coral reefs and mountain lakes, of the great rivers of Luzon and Mindanao, and of the bays, channels and seas that surround the thousands of lovely islands that lie between Formosa and Borneo. In the esteros about Malabon and Lake Buhi, may be found the smallest fishes in the world, while in the sea not far from Sibutu, I have seen the whale shark, the largest fish in the world swimming about the surface of the water. To learn more about fishes, I have watched them day after day, drifting in a banca, and have examined thousands, living and dead. They were obtained from baklad and bobo; fishing from pantalans, taken from tide pools and the open sea; and from rice paddies, rivers, and lakes all over the islands.”

Out of these expeditions and travels, he produced various scientific papers and books on Philippine fishes. The “Bibliography of Fishes and Fisheries” compiled by Guillermo J. Blanco and Heraclio R. Montalban (Philippine Journal of Fisheries, vol. 1, no. 2, July-December 1951, pp. 115-138) lists 102 of Herre’s original articles on Philippine fisheries. The earliest article he wrote about the Philippine fisheries is entitled “Aquatic Resource of the Philippines”. It was published in the American Chamber of Commerce Journal, Manila 1(1921):11-12.

In 1925 in Malabon, Rizal, Herre also described and published the discovery of the smallest fish in the world—the Pandaca pygmea which measures 7.5 to 11 mm in length when fully mature. At that time he was working with Filipino scientists like Inocencio Ronquillo, Agustin Umali, Guillermo Montalban, Claro Martin, Hilario Roxas, etc. It was Ronquillo who gave him the Pandaca pygmea specimen.

Other significant contributions of Herre to the study of Philippine fishes is his book, Checklist of Philippine Fishes (Washington, U.S. Government Printing Office, 1953. 976p.). This book is not the first checklist of Philippine fishes because in 1910, David Starr Jordan and R. E. Richardson prepared a list which included 830 species. But this book by Herre is considered as the most comprehensive list of Philippine fishes until today.

This book is still being used by our fisheries researchers as a preliminary reference. It includes approximately 2, 145 species of fishes known to inhabit the waters of the Philippines in 1948.

The other technical books by Herre include: Gobies of the Philippines and the China Sea (Manila Bureau of Printing, 1927. 352p.), and English and Local Common Names of Philippine Fishes (Washington, U.S. Government Printing Office, 1948. 128p.). The first book describes the sizes, color and inhabitants of hundreds of Philippine gobies. The Pandaca pygmea is described in this book.

He did not only write technical books and articles. Two of his works are Stories of Philippine Fishes (Manila, D. P. Perez Co., 1938) and Philippine Fish Tales (Rizal, Oriental Commercial Co., 1935) which showcase his literary skills. Some of his poems are found in the first book.

Herre was born on September 16, 1868 in Toledo, Ohio, U.S.A. He earned his undergraduate (A.B., 1904), graduate (A.M., 1905), and Ph.D. (1909) degree in Stanford University, California.

After graduation, he served as principal of a high school in California (1910-1912), then as director of the School of Hygiene in the same institution from 191901920. After this, he went to the Philippines and began his long career in fisheries. He was a member of four expeditions from 1928 to 1937. He was also a member of scientific associations like California Academy and California Botany Society.

After his duty in the Philippines, Herre went back to America. He wanted to visit the Philippines again sometime in 1962 or 1963 but a certain illness prevented him from doing so.

This greatly disappointed the Filipino scientists who wanted to see again the man who contributed much to the advancement of fisheries science in the Philippines. However, the great legacy left by Herre comforted and inspired them to work toward the development of Philippine fisheries.

Agustin F. Umali: A Distinguished Filipino Ichthyologist

Melchor F. Cichon

First Published in Otolith, January-March 1997, p. 16

Mr. Agustin F. Umali is the author of one of the most significant books on Philippine fishes, Edible Fishes of Manila (Manila, Bureau of Printing, 1936). This is the first book on Philippine fishes that provides the local and scientific names, distinctive features, colors, sizes, supply and marketing conditions, eating qualities, and illustrations of Philippine fishes that were sold in the different markets in Manila before World War II. In 1938, he co-authored English and Local Names of Philippine Fishes with Dr. Albert W. Herre. He also authored the classical book on the different fishing gears used in the Philippines, Guide to the Classification of Fishing Gears in the Philippines in 1950.

All these books are still being used by Filipino fisheries and marine researchers and students. Aside from these, Umali published more than 20 scientific articles on Philippine fishes and fisheries mostly in the Philippine Journal of Science.

This is the reason why the University of the Philippines in the Visayas named the Faculty Center of the College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences as Agustin Umali Hall. This is a fitting tribute to a distinguished man who rendered so much of his time and talent for the development of fisheries in the Philippines.

Umali was born in Odiongan, Romblon on January 15, 1906. His parents were Mariano Umali and Leoncia Fallaria. He finished his Associate in the Arts at the University of the Philippines, where he also earned his Bachelor of Science degree in 1928.

After graduation, Umali taught at the Zambales Provincial High School from 1928 to 1929. He then transferred to the Bureau of Science in 1929 where he stayed until 1936 as an Assistant Ichthyologist. From the Bureau of Science, he worked as District Fisheries Officer in Naga, Camarines Sur from 1936 to 1938. In 1939 until the start of World War II, Umali worked as Assistant Ichthyologist at the Division of Fisheries, Department of Agriculture and Commerce.

His service in the government continued even during the war. In 1942-43, he worked as an Aquatic Biologist at the bureau of Forestry and Fishery. He transferred to the Office of the President as Supervisor (Fisheries) Food Administration from 1943 to 1944.

His love for education led him to the Philippine School of Fisheries from 1944-1945, and from 1946-1948, as its Superintendent. From the Philippine School of Fisheries, he transferred to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Rehabilitation Office, Manila from 1948 to 1950. He became Chief of the Geology Paleontology Division, National Museum from 1950 until 1960.

In between these jobs, Umali was sent to various trainings here and abroad. In 1938-1939, he was sent by the Philippine government on deep-sea fishing. In the Philippines, he attended a special training on cooperative at the Department of Agriculture and Commerce at the Institute of Public Administration (now the College of Public Administration, University of the Philippines in 1953-54.

It was during his stay in these various government organizations tha he was able to produce a lot of scientific papers, pamphlets and books on Philippine fishes and fisheries. He was also able to attend scientific meetings like the Indo-Pacific Fisheries, 4^th Meeting where he served as adviser in 1952. In the following year, he was able to attend the 8^th Pacific Science Congress and in 1962, he participated in the UNESCO Marine Science Institutions in East and Southeast Asia meeting in Manila.

Umali was a member of learned societies and organizations like the National research Council of the Philippines and the American Society of Ichthyology and Herpetology. He was the founding fellow of the Philippine Association for the Advancement of Science.

Because of his significant contributions in the field of fisheries, he was awarded the Distinguished Service Plague by the Philippine Association for the Advancement of Science in 1961.

All these speak of a man worthy to be honored and remembered by his colleagues in the field of fisheries and even by future generations.