Angel Alcala

Angel Alcala is accredited with many research accomplishments and improvements regarding environmental management, marine conservation, and discovery of new species. One of Alcala's works consisted of restoring or preserving areas with predominant wild, large predatory fish populations near a small marine sanctuary at Apo Island in the Philippines. His goal was to sustain hospitable conditions in this sanctuary throughout the duration of his research.[8] This sanctuary, called the Sumilon Marine Reserve, began as just an uninhabited area under 100 kilometers away from Apo Island.[9] Another research element Alcala incorporated in his study is associating the species’ survival rate of large, predatory fish with available ocean territories around reefs and fisheries. This helped place an effort to set boundaries to distinguish marine sanctuaries and fishing areas. Alcala's conservation efforts accompanied with his research in oceanic and land management helped stabilize retention of once-endangered species in the Sumilon Island and Apo Island marine reserves.[10]

His studies correlated the efforts of protective environmental practices with the effects of either continuing or ceasing those regulations. Incidents of fishing are common consequences when ocean space and resources are available and not properly managed. These studies were primarily conducted near coral reefs of Sumilon Island located in the central Philippines. Alcala concluded how maximizing conservation and environmental efforts near these coral reefs reduced fishing and stabilized struggling fish species that faced the increased loss of habitat.[11]

Angel Alcala experimented with his teams to conserve coral reefs and other marine resources. In their "no-take" experiment,[12] Alcala's team tested the mobility of fish species when humans were forbidden from fishing in these areas. By doing so, they discovered that the species abundance in the area declined while pushing the boundaries of their residence to further reaches. These findings provide evidence that conservation of these fishes and coral reefs not only slows the species' decline in numbers, but also the growth in habitat for all marine life.[13]

Bolinao Giant Clam Sanctuary

Alcala has also worked to protect the lives of giant clams in the Philippines. He worked alongside Dr. Edgardo Gomez to assess the organisms' status in 1983. After thorough evaluation of Bolinao waters, they learned that the numbers were insufficient. Gomez and Alcala retrieved young giant clams from the Solomon Islands to breed back in Bolinao. After their work, the giant clam population has increased significantly to ensure that the ecosystem is stable.[14] On October 25, 2014, he visited the Semirara coast where he spoke in favor of saving giant clams.[15]

Along with his many other accomplishments, Angel Alcala's work has led to the discovery of 50 species of reptiles and amphibians.[16] In other words, more than 10 percent of all reptiles and amphibians in the Philippines are known today because of Alcala's work. This fieldwork began while he was still a student and ultimately built a stronger foundation to jumpstart conservation programs within the Philippines.[17]

President Benigno Aquino III recently conferred on marine biologist and Fulbrighter Dr. Angel C. Alcala the title of National Scientist for his major contributions to the country's marine development and ecology concerns. The Order of National Scientist is the highest honor given by the President to a man or woman of science in the country who has made significant contributions in one of the different fields of science and technology.[18]