VOLUME 5 NUMBER 2 (July to December 2012)

by Emily Layos

Administrative Assistant
Angelo King Center for Research and Environmental Management
Silliman University

Dr. Angel C. Alcala's major contribution tobiological science is his pioneering researchwork on no-take marine reserves, which are nowrecognized as tools of fishery management andmarine biodiversity conservation throughout theworld. Dr. Alcala started his research on marine reserves in 1974as the major program of the Silliman University MarineLaboratory (renamed Dr. A.C. Alcala Environment and MarineScience Laboratories), which he founded in the same year.Initially established on two small islands off southern Cebu(Sumilon Island) in 1974 and off southeastern Negros Oriental(Apo Island) in 1982, marine reserves have been establishedthroughout the Philippines. There are by now more than 564 notakemarine reserves in the Visayas and probably no less than1,000 in the whole country. No-take marine reserves have alsobeen established in the Caribbean and Indonesia following thePhilippine model.