AJ Thomas 1909-1988
The Father of Jamaican Fish
He led the development of land-based fishing in Jamaica. Born in Westmoreland in 1909, AJ Thomas was instrumental in the creation of the mono-sex cultivation of the African or Nile perch, commonly known as tilapia.
A self-educated scientist and international consultant, Austin James Thomas was born in 1909 in Westmoreland. A lifelong environmentalist, careful angler and longtime secretary of the Jamaica Angling Association, Thomas’ love of fish led him to revitalize and mechanize Jamaica’s fish industry.He first came to prominence in 1945, not for his scientific work but because he created a new world record by catching the largest white marlin ever seen in Jamaica. It weighed 80 kilos seven kilos more than the previous record holder. In 1949, his fishing skills catapulted him further a fish he caught on the North Coast was determined to be of a new species, as yet unknown to science. It was named Gobiosoma Thomasi after him.
A NEW BREED OF FISH
In that same year, Mr. Thomas was employed as the government fisheries officer. At that time, there was significant concern that given that fish is a staple of the Jamaican diet, more focus should be given to developing fish for local use, reducing reliance on imported fish. Mr. Thomas dreamed of a new breed of fish. When he was sent to Africa to study fish that thrived in that climate he was determined to find a fish that would adapt well to Jamaica. He returned with perch (tilapia mossambica) and carefully built ponds in which he measured their growth. Most of the fish did not develop and as a result were named “ticky-ticky.” Yet, Mr. Thomas noted that the male perch when reared together grew larger. So began a period of monosex culture, or selection of fish of the same sex an approach used on perch for the first time ever. It was immensely successful, allowing perch to reach a weight of half a pound in five months the best of any commercial species. This discovery spawned successful industries in many countries including America, Africa (where he returned as a consultant to work on fishing cooperatives in the 1960s) and Israel.
MOTOR BOATS
As a fisherman himself, Mr. Thomas was also interested in boats. He is credited with being the first to introduce outboard motors on local canoes in the 1950s. This allowed fishermen to cover greater distances and catch larger amounts of fish.
A.J. Thomas died in 1988, at the age of 79.
Sources: Johnson, A. (2001). Great Jamaicans, Book II, Scientists. Kingston: TeeJay Ltd., Lumsden, V. (2003). “Dr. T. P. Lecky An Inspiration to youth” in A tapestry of Jamaica The best of skywritings. Kingston: Creative Communications Ltd., pp. 240-241. www.temos.net/Reference/quotations.htm, www.opha.on.ca/activities/awards/grant.html