The town of Tungkang, or Eastern Port in Chinese, is located in Pingtung County near the estuary of the Kaoping River—Taiwan's second longest river. For almost a century, it had been one of the most prosperous commercial ports in the southern part of the island. But after the international-class harbor at Kaohsiung was completed in 1945, Tungkang rapidly became a backwater, declining steadily into just another fishing port. Even its name became unfamiliar to the majority of the island's residents, especially as Taiwan's process of industrialization bypassed Tungkang and other farm and fishing villages like it.
Tungkang's townsfolk led a simple life, far away from the focus of the action, until a young man appeared on the scene in 1968. Within two decades he almost single-handedly produced a miracle on the bleak, sandy beaches of the area, changing the fate of the old town. Today, the place is internationally known. It is the home of a world-famous marine laboratory respected for its contributions to research, training, and extension-center services in the field of aquaculture. The impressive man behind the scenes is Dr. Liao I-chiu, founder and director of the Tungkang Marine Laboratory.
The story begins with a letter. Back in 1968, just a few months before Liao was to receive his Ph.D. in agriculture from the University of Tokyo, he received a letter from Chen Tung-pai, head of the Fisheries Division of the ROC's Joint Committee on Rural Reconstruction—a Sino-American organization—inviting him back to Taiwan. Liao had every intention to return after graduation, rather than seek more financially lucrative positions in Japan or the United States, and was delighted to have a specific task waiting for him. After arriving in July, Liao immediately set a pattern of action for which he has become famous: despite being away from home for more than six years, he reported to work the next day. The Tainan Station of the Taiwan Fisheries Research Institute (TFRI) had a new hot-shot Ph.D. on its staff, and an exciting new stage in Liao's career was underway.
Earlier in 1968, the "Tungkang Shrimp Culture Center" had been set up with financial support from the Rockfeller Foundation. Originally under the supervision of the Tainan Station of the TFRI, a research organization of the Taiwan Provincial Government's Agriculture and Forestry Department, the Center was later renamed the Tungkang Marine Laboratory (TML) and came directly under TFRI in 1971. When Liao arrived at Tungkang for his first assignment, which was to head the shrimp culture research program, he never expected that his first success would be remarkably imminent.
The experimental ponds of Tungkang Marine Laboratory—home of numerous success stories.
One aquaculture project already underway at the Center was focusing on the artificial propagation of grey mullet (Mugil cephalus), which like shrimp has great potential marketability. The grey mullet is a favorite source of protein in the Southeast Asian and Mediterranean areas. It is a popular fish in Taiwan as well, and is especially valued for its delicious roe which fishermen remove from the fish without harming their uniquely shaped egg sacks. These have become a substantial source of foreign exchange, since much of it is exported to Japan, where local gourmets treasure the roe both for its taste and its purported capability of increasing virility.
Despite the steadily increasing demand for grey mullet in both local and foreign markets, fishermen in Taiwan could not supply enough fish because the season for catching the mullet was very short-mainly in December and January. In 1963, TFRI and other organizations established a research team for the express purpose of finding a method for artificially breeding the grey mullet. But researchers had scant success for the first four years and discontinued the work in 1967. Then in September 1968, just two months after Liao arrived to join the revived project in Tungkang, the research team broke through the bottleneck.
In that month Tungkang researchers watched two tiny fish begin a 30-day lifespan in a simple laboratory. The two died suddenly after a period of unexpected cold weather, but their brief survival sent a charge of excitement through the staff. For these were no ordinary fish. They were in fact a world first: the fish had been artificially spawned and were close to reaching "fingerling size"—large enough to be stocked in controlled environments for raising to maturity. While only a significant first step, the event provided timely encouragement to continue the project, which had endured years of frustratingly inconclusive results.
"This initial success was an unforgettable memory," says Liao, who recalls the story with considerable relish. "When Mr. Chen asked me whether this research should go on or not, I gave him an affirmative reply. But since I was aware of the previous four years of fruitless efforts, I didn't have full confidence about achieving positive results. Besides, my major research interest was in prawns rather than fish. I leaped into the work anyway, and really didn't worry very much about the possibility of success. I must say I was extraordinarily lucky to succeed so soon after only a few preliminary trials."
The encouraging results obtained during the laboratory's 1968-1969 research period were matched with even greater success the next year. Researchers produced 431 fingerlings, and in 1971-1972 the number jumped to 23,695. The survival rate of fingerlings in tanks also improved dramatically as the staff gained knowledge, experience, and confidence, going from 0.75 percent in 1969-1970 to 19.35 percent in 1972-1973. Finally, in 1975 the project achieved a major goal: a "complete culture," meaning that a new generation of mullet larvae had been successfully hatched from adult fish by artificial spawning.
In addition, the laboratory was producing fingerlings in their tanks that were significantly stronger and more disease-resistant than those of the same age caught in the open sea. This achievement caused the economic sun to rise over Tungkang, brightening the future of those entrepreneurs who built tanks for raising large quantities of pond-grown mullet. Tungkang Marine Laboratory also offered valuable suggestions to local fish farmers through extension programs, while researchers continued to work on species improvement. Soon after the discovery the TML's success story spread around the world, and the ROC became the recognized leader in the field.
Teamwork—Dr. & Mrs. Liao (in red) with laboratory assistants.
But this was not an isolated achievement for Liao and his research team. Also, two months after he returned to Taiwan, Tungkang attracted the attention of the scientific community again by successfully propagating grass prawns (Penaeus monodon) for the first time in the world. These are oftentimes referred to as "grass shrimp," but marketed as black tiger prawn. Shrimp and prawns are often confused: small prawns are called shrimp and big shrimp are called prawns. Liao's accomplishment earned him the reputation among scientific circles as the "Father of Monodon." Because of the scientific difficulties involved—and the value of the "crop" for aquacultural farmers worldwide—this was well-deserved high praise.
The positive momentum continued. In the next few years, Liao and his TML staff developed and perfected the techniques of propagating six species of saltwater prawns (Penaeus japonicus, P. semisulcatus, P. teraoi, P. penicillatus. Metapenaeus monoceros, M. joyneri) and one freshwater prawn (Macrobrachium rosenbergii). These methods of propagation have been adopted around the world, making commercial prawn cultivation a profitable business.
Before the successful innovations made by TML's research work, Taiwan's aquacultural farmers had depended entirely on larval prawns caught from the sea for their prawn-raising source. Since this natural supply was not dependable, mass production was impossible and entrepreneurial marketing possibilities were rarely considered. Instead, prawn raising was generally regarded as a byproduct of milkfish ponds.
Tungkang's laboratory and Liao's research team changed all that. A shrimp culture industry was born in Taiwan. By the end of 1968, a private grass prawn hatchery was first set up with Liao's assistance. And in ten years, by 1977, there were more than 150 private hatcheries operating on the island. The quantities of pond-raised grass prawn also increased rapidly, reaching five thousand metric tons in 1980. The annual production was 60,000 metric tons in 1986. Total export was almost 30,000 metric tons valued at US$310 million. Production is still increasing. This prompted the nation's limited aquaculture business to develop into a full-fledged industry.
"It was an industrial revolution in aquaculture," says one prominent agricultural official. "Thanks to Dr. Liao and the TML researchers, prawns are now a very popular food in Taiwan—and everybody can afford to buy them. They are no longer an expensive rarity."
Tungkang Marine Laboratory has spent the past nineteen years in related research projects on other economically important fishes such as tilapia, sea bass, and mudskipper. Associated work is done on fish diseases, various organisms in the food chain, and the physiological ecology of marine zooplankton. The results have been encouraging, and have led to the development of artificial feeds and the improvement of culture techniques and pond engineering designs.
The Laboratory's work has brought about increased employment—and income—in Pingtung County and elsewhere on the island. Instead of remaining a backwater fishing village, Tungkang is now a major contributor to the domestic economy, and the Republic of China has become known as a major marine life producer and exporter. In 1985, for example, aquaculture production exceeded 250,000 metric tons, valued at US$8.2 billion. This accounted for 25 percent of the total annual fisheries production in terms of quantity and 38 percent in terms of monetary value.
Concomitant with the growth of the ROC'S own aquaculture business, the TML researchers, following the government's policy, has extended its expertise to aquacultural circles around the world. As an internationally-minded scientist, Liao has been eager to share the fruits of the Laboratory's work with foreign researchers. And he can savor successes abroad as well.
Food organisms being tested as possible feed for fish and prawn larvae.
Liao says one of his most pleasant memories of international cooperation came in June 1978, when he was invited to the Philippines by the Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center as a visiting scientist. He was asked to supervise the "Research Project on the Artificial Propagation of Milkfish." When he recalls the project, Liao smiles about another lucky turn of events. He almost missed his chance to succeed.
"Since the wild spawners of milkfish are difficult to capture, we had waited anxiously for more than a month with nothing to show for our time and effort. One morning, I planned to go to a neighboring island for a couple of days with a British dignitary. But just a few minutes before I was to leave, two newly caught milkfish spawners were sent to the lab. I apologized to my friend and immediately went back to work. As it turned out, we achieved satisfactory results. But suppose I had left a few minutes earlier—things could have been very different."
The results were significant indeed. Liao and his colleagues had uncovered the mystery of milkfish propagation and larval rearing, which was then still unknown to scientists. They produced the world's first complete documentation of the milkfish life cycle, including their own detailed processes for artificial fertilization, hormone injections for induced spawning, embryogenesis of fertilized eggs, and nursing of larvae. "Up to today, researchers on related subjects still have to refer to that report, and it should still be useful for a long time in the future," Liao says with quiet confidence.
The Philippines project firmly established Liao's status in international aquacultural circles, and many international organizations began asking him for advice and assistance. Beginning in 1984, he became a technical advisor for the U.S. Agency for International Development on their "Milkfish Project." In the same year, he also became a consultant for the World Bank, working on the Aquaculture Promotion Mission of the International Finance Corporation. He is also one of the founders of the Asian Fisheries Society, which is a realization of a long-time goal.
"There had long been a World Aquaculture Society, based in the U.S., and the European Aquaculture Society," Liao says. "But even though Asia was no less prosperous or important in aquaculture, the region didn't have its own joint organization. So in 1984, several of us Asian aquaculturists banded together in a Manila meeting and initiated our own society. Our goal is to promote aquaculture research and industry in the region." Liao is currently a Society councilor and chairman of its Taipei Branch.
Oftentimes research organizations reflect the character of their leaders. This is especially true of TML. Liao persistently looks beyond national boundaries and emphasizes the necessity for international cooperation to break scientific bottlenecks and solve the world-wide problem of food shortages. As a result, the laboratory has actively cooperated with research organizations around the world. TML staff members have published over 110 scientific papers, and have taken part in more than thirty international conferences and more than twenty research projects. Its staff frequently travels abroad to offer research guidance and technical assistance at the request of foreign governments. Extension and training programs are also available to help foreign trainees, visiting guests, and those who write to the Laboratory.
These tasks are achieved with rather limited funds and personnel, but the staffs unlimited enthusiasm and commitment to the field has transformed the shallows in Tungkang into one of the foremost aquaculture promotion centers in the world.
Liao's work has won him many richly-deserved honors. He was named one of the Top Ten Outstanding Youths in 1969 by the ROC Jaycees, and received the Outstanding Sci-Tech Personnel Award conferred by the Executive Yuan in 1975. "I did not expect such an honor in 1969," Liao says. "I was young and had just came back to Taiwan. But this honor meant a lot to me personally. The 1975 Sci-Tech Award was the first time this country conferred a national award on a scientist in recognition of his work. That was a great encouragement to all the scientists here."
In January of this year, because of his outstanding contributions to the promotion of aquacultural research, Liao was made an honorary life member of the World Aquaculture Society at the Society's 1987 annual meeting in Ecuador. Since its establishment in 1970, the Society has conferred this honor on only 22 persons. "That means I can get all its publications free," says Liao with a hearty chuckle.
While awards serve to highlight career achievements, Liao can look back to a past characterized by long hours of hard work and exceptional sacrifice. The 51-year-old scientist's lifestyle illustrates the adage "no pain, no gain." Liao says, "Before I was forty-five, I seldom left my laboratory before midnight. This lab was my home." With day and night spent on research, work can become a lonely process. But Liao is quick to point out that another person has suffered loneliness at the same time.
"I appreciate my wife for her support and understanding. While I stayed in my lab, she looked after our two sons and ran the family by herself so that I could concentrate on my research and not be bothered by worries at home. It is really important for a researcher or scientist to have a suitable better half, and my wife is truly praiseworthy in this regard."
Today's research pleases tomorrow's economists—and chefs.
Mrs. Liao, who received her M.S. degree from Texas Woman's University, was her husband's colleague for two years back in the days of the Tainan Station, and has been working with him at TML for 16 years. She is now herself a senior specialist with a distinguished record at the Laboratory. "I have no complaint because I love him," she says cheerfully. "He has been strict to himself, always setting a high standard and pushing himself to attain that level."
The TML staff would agree with Mrs. Liao that it is not always easy to work with their director. "Dr. Liao is really energetic; we have to double our efforts just to keep up with him," one staff member says. "But he has that kind of power to coordinate a group and to lead them forward."
Liao himself admits that he is strict with his staff. "I forbid them to moonlight, hoping that they will concentrate on their research. I ask them to make everything the best they possibly can—even the typists are required to make no mistakes. And I always encourage the staff to stay in the labs at night to continue their work. I know I owe them very much by asking them to make sacrifices, but I do believe that it will benefit them. Man should do his best when young." Such is the guidance that has led to TML's remarkable research record.
The aquaculture industry faces an increasingly optimistic future. "The climate in Taiwan is suitable for aquaculture research and business, our people are hard-working, and the government was prescient by setting up marine labs in the beginning to promote the industry. All these have made us what we are today," Liao says. "But we should never be content with past success; there is a lot more to be done."
Among Liao's current plans, one of the more ambitious is to bring about the implementation of "sea ranching," giving the Republic of China leadership in yet another field of international research. "The importance of aquaculture and ocean resources protection is increasing as a result of overfishing and water pollution of the sea in recent years," he says.
In response to a rapidly worsening situation in the world's oceans, TML is investigating the distribution and productivity of fish resources, the life history of fish and prawns along with their ecological relationships, and the water quality along Tungkang's coastal areas. This will enable the Laboratory to gather basic knowledge for future implementation of the sea ranching program.
Liao is excited about the possibilities: "By artificially incubating fish larvae in the laboratories and then introducing them into the sea for fishermen to catch as grown fish, mariculture could be set up and fish harvests could become extremely abundant. If so, then the ideal of sea ranching can be achieved." This seems to be an ambitious goal at the present time; yet, in view of the Laboratory's accomplishments over the past twenty years, it does not seem wise to call this an impossible dream.
There is an old Chinese saying that goes, "One sows, another reaps." In 1976, then Premier—now President—Chiang Ching-kuo used these words to encourage and commend Dr. Liao I-chiu and his research team for their many achievements. True to the traditional saying, and to the policy of the Republic of China as well, the Tungkang Marine Laboratory continues to work not only for the betterment of the residents of Pingtung County, but also for the benefit of people everywhere.