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| Rafael D. Guerrero III, Ph. D., First Filipino recipient of Mgr. Dr. Jan D.F. Heine Memorial Award |
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A Pioneer in Tilapia Sex Reversal Technology
IN THE world today, tilapia is the second most important fish. In fact, cultured tilapia has become a global food commodity. Warm water fishes that originated from Africa and the Middle East, tilapias have been introduced to the Philippines for fish farming since I950.
A major drawback in the culture of tilapias is their ability to mature early at 2-3 months of age and breed frequently (every month at most). These characteristics cause the over-population of the stocked tilapia in ponds and the stunted growth of the fish. Moreover, with mixed-sex tilapia stocks, the sizes of the harvested fish vary from small to large because of the difference in the growth of the faster-growing males compared to the females.
Not very many know that it is a Filipino who helped find a solution to this problem for the benefit of the global community. Dr. Rafael D Guerrero III worked to produce high yields of large-sized all-male tilapia (I50 grams or more) in 3-4 months by applying artificial sex reversal techniques. Guerrero conducted initial studies on tilapia sex reversal with the use of androgens in the early ‘70s for his dissertation at the Auburn University. He continued his research at the Central Luzon State University (CLSU) where he was the first dean of the College of Inland Fisheries. Later, he put up a research and development company for the commercial production of tilapia sex reversal feed. The impact of his study is that fish farmers are able to produce higher yields of fast-growing and large-sized all-male tilapia. His amazing work in tilapia science gained international renown and sex reversal of tilapias has been applied worldwide. Today, Guerrero is considered a pioneer in tilapia sex reversal technology whose impact redounded to world aquaculture, with cultured tilapia now considered the second most important farmed fish.
Thus it came as no surprise that in 2004, Dr. Rafael D. Guerrero III , the executive director of the Philippine Council for Aquatic and Marine Research and Development, Department of Science and Technology, received the Mgr. Dr. Jan D.F. Heine Memorial Award by the International Dois Faire Assembly. Dr. Guerrero is the first Filipino and the second international recipient of the award given by the International Je Dois Faire Assembly in recognition of his outstanding efforts to stimulate sustained improvement of worldwide human living standards.
The Mgr. Dr. Jan D.F. Heine Memorial Award is conferred as an internationally recognized individual who has worked for the advancement of tilapia science and has also made an impact on the lives of people in developing countries dependent on fish as a major source of animal protein. Heine and World Aquaculture Society president Kevin Fitzsimmons conferred the award to Dr. Guerrero during the 6th International Symposium on Tilapia in Aquaculture recently held in Manila.
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