Dr. Makoto Omori , Kenji Iwao , Hiroki Taniguchi

Director of Akajima Marine Science Laboratory,
Okinawa, Japan
Dr. Makoto Omori

Born on 17 November, 1937 in Osaka, Japan. After studying at Hokkaido University in 1956-1960, he proceeded to Hokkaido University, Graduate School (Fisheries Science) and University of Washington, Graduate School (Oceanography), and obtained Ph.D. at Hokkaido University in 1966. His dissertation was” The Biology of a Sergestid Shrimp Sergestes lucens Hansen in Suruga Bay

Dr. Omori’s area of specialization is Biological Oceanography, Planktology, Pelagic ecosystem, and Coral reef ecology.

Some of his employment records are as follows:

1961-1962 Research Assistant, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, Massachusetts, U.S.A.
1962-1963 Research Assistant, Department of Oceanography, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, U.S.A.
1963-1980 Assistant Professor, Ocean Research Institute, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
1976-1977 Associate Biological Oceanographer
Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California,
San Diego, La Jolla, California, U.S.A.
1977-1979 Program Officer, Division of Marine Science, UNESCO, Paris, France
1980-1988 Associate Professor, Tokyo University of Fisheries, Tokyo, Japan
1988-2001 Professor, Tokyo University of Fisheries, Tokyo, Japan
1997-1999 Visiting Lecturer, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Keio University, Tokyo, Japan
2001 Professor Emeritus, Tokyo University of Fisheries
2001 Director, Akajima Marine Science Laboratory

Some of his professional experiences are as follows:

1970-1976 Member, The UNESCO Advisory Panel for International Marine Biological Centres
1971-1976 Editor, The Journal of the Oceanographic Society of Japan
1975-2001 Member of the Council, The Oceanographic Society of Japan
1978 The Jury, Doctorate d’estat at Universite Paris IV, France
1979-2001 Member of the Editorial Board, "Journal of Plankton Research"
1982-1988 Member of the National Committee, "Exploitation of the Sea" at the Science and Technology Agency, Japan
1983-1993 Member of the National Marine Policy Committee, at the Japan Marine Association
1983-2001 Senior Scientist and Supervisor of the Japan Oceanographic Data Center, Japan Coast Guard
1984-1993 Editorial Advisor, "Marine Ecology, Progress Series"
1986 Visiting Professor, Department of Oceanography, Xiamen University, China
1990 Visiting Professor, Institute of Marine Science, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil (JICA Mission)
1990-1995 Member, SCOR Working Group 93 "Pelagic Biogeography"
1993-2001 Associate Editor of the Journal, "Progress in Oceanography"
1994-1996 Vice President, The Plankton Society of Japan
1996-2001 Member of Executive Committee, International Association of Biological Oceanography (IABO)
1997-2001 Technical Advisor, Japanese Project for Establishment of Palau International Coral Reef Center
1997-2001 President, The Plankton Society of Japan
2000-present Member of Science Advisory Board, Palau International Coral Reef Center
2001-present Member of the Council, The Japanese Hydrographic Society
2001 Retired from Tokyo University of Fisheries. Present: Emeritus Professor
2001-present Director, Akajima Marine Science Laboratory
2005 Visiting Professor, Department of Oceanography, Xiamen University, China

Dr. Omori is member of the Plankton Society of Japan (Member of the Council, Ex-President), the American Society of Limnology and Oceanography, the Japanese Society of Fisheries Oceanography, the International Society for Reef Studies, the Crustacean Society, and the Japanese Coral Reef Society (Member of the Council).

He was awarded the Okada Prize, The Oceanographic Society of Japan, in 1966.

Publications:

Dr. Omori is author of twelve books including "Methods in Marine Zooplankton Ecology" Wiley-Interscience, New York, 1984,"Sakuraebi: History of One Hundred Years of the Sergestid Shrimp Fishing Industriy" Shizuoka News Paper Press, Shizuoka, 1995 (in Japanese), Manual for Restoration and Remediation of Coral Reefs, Nature Conservation Bureau, Ministry of the Environment Japan, 2004, and Marine Biodiversity, Tsukiji-Shokan, Tokyo, 2006 (in Japanese).
He has written more than 190 relevant scientific papers and reports. Some recent publications are as follows:
  • Omori, M., 2008. Coral reefs at risk: the role of Japanese science and technology for restoration. p.401-406. In:R.J. Leewis and M. Janse (eds).Advances in Coral Husbandry in Public Aquariums. Public Aquarium Husbandry Series, Vol. 2., Arnhem, The Netherlands.
  • Omori, M., K. Iwao and M. Tamura, 2008. Growth of transplanted Acropora tenuis 2 years after egg culture. Coral Reefs 27: 165.
  • Omori, M., H. Kubo, K. Kajihara, H. Matsumoto and A. Watanuki 2007. Why corals recruit successfully in top-shell snail aquaculture structures? Galaxia, Journal of the Japanese Coral Reef Society 8:83-90.
  • Okubo, N., T. Motokawa and M. Omori, 2007. When fragmented coral spawn? Effect of size and timing on survivorship and fecundity of fragmentation of Acropora formosa. Marine Biology, 151: 353-363.
  • Omori, M., H. Kubo, K. Kajiwara, H. Matsumoto and A. Watanuki, 2006. Rapid recruitment of corals on top shell snail aquaculture structures. Coral Reefs, 25:280.
  • Omori, M. 2005. Success of mass culture of Acropora corals from egg to colony in open water. Coral Reefs, 24:563.
  • Hayashibara, T., K. Iwao and M. Omori, 2004. Induction and control of spawning in Okinawan staghorn corals. Coral Reefs 23: 406-409.
  • Omori, M. and S. Fujiwara, 2004 (eds.). Manual for Restoration and Remediation of Coral Reefs. 84pp. Nature Conservation Bureau, Ministry of the Environment, Japan.
  • Omori, M., T. Aota, T. Watanuki, and H. Taniguchi, 2004. Development of coral restoration method by mass culture, transportation and settlement of coral larvae. Proceedings of the 1st Coral Reef Conference, Palau: 30-38.