Mindanao State University at Naawan

Mindanao State University at Naawan was founded as a field laboratory of the MSU College of Fisheries under Dean Domiciano Kapili Villaluz in 1964. This field laboratory was intended to complement the MSU College of Fisheries program in freshwater aquaculture. Through the help of the Municipal government, a 15 hectare mangrove area in Naawan, Misamis Oriental was acquired for training students in the design and construction of brackishwater ponds for the culture of commercially important species of fish. At the same time, a handful of biologists under the leadership of Dean Villaluz was experimenting on the hatchery technique of producing the fry of Penaeus monodon Fabricius under laboratory conditions. In 1969, Dean D.K. Villaluz successful convinced the National Science Development Board (NSDB) of the very bright prospect of prawn culture in the country. This led to the NSDB assistance of P37,000/year for three years to research project entitled "Reproduction, Larval Development and Cultivation of Sugpo, P. monodon Fab. Project." With this assistance, the research team under Dean D.K. Villaluz managed to construct a pilot laboratory. This first documented successful experiment on prawn culture inspired other institutions and private investors in recent years to put up, commercial hatcheries and provided bright prospect for a new dollar-earning aqua-culture industry.