Tributes, call for justice pour in for slain marine biologist, Kent Carpenter

The shooting death of renowned marine biologist Kent Carpenter, who conducted pioneering work on coral reef ecology, came as a shock to the marine science community.

"It was through Dr. Carpenter's work that the Philippines earned the acclaim of being the "center of the center of marine shore fish biodiversity," said the UP Marine Science Institute in a statement.

Carpenter, the Institute said, was an advocate for the designation of the Verde Island Passage (VIP) as a National Protected Area and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

In a separate statement, Protect VIP lead convenor Fr. Edwin Gariguez said, "Dr. Kent Carpenter dedicated his life to revealing the extraordinary richness of the Verde Island Passage to the world. His work reminded us that the Philippines carries a global responsibility to protect this irreplaceable marine treasure.”

He called on authorities to conduct a through investigation into the shooting incident.

“As we mourn his passing, we reaffirm our commitment to the cause that Dr. Carpenter championed: protecting the Verde Island Passage and all of our country’s biodiverse ecosystems and all communities who defend and rely on them,” said Gariguez.

Silliman University (SU), where Carpenter was a research associate, said "We join his family, colleagues, students, and the international scientific community in mourning the loss of an exceptional scientist whose life’s work advanced the understanding and conservation of marine biodiversity around the world."

"For nearly five decades, Dr. Carpenter maintained a close relationship with SU. His collaboration with the University began in 1976 when he worked alongside the late National Scientist Dr. Angel C. Alcala and fellow marine scientists in pioneering studies on the rich marine ecosystems of the Philippines," the university said in a statement.

"Among his most significant recent contributions was his leadership of the Albatross Re-Collection Project, a landmark evolutionary genomics research initiative that revisits the historic collections of the U.S. Fish Commission Steamer Albatross, which surveyed Philippine waters more than a century ago."

Working with Silliman researchers, Carpenter conducted studies addressing contemporary environmental challenges, including coral reef conservation, fisheries management, and marine pollution.

"His work on the ecology and fisheries of rabbitfish (Siganus fuscescens), including investigations into the impacts of microplastics on marine organisms in Negros Oriental, exemplified his commitment to producing science that directly informs conservation and sustainable resource management."

The Department of Agriculture - Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (DA-BFAR) said that Carpenter's work "will continue to shape how we care for our seas, and his legacy will live on in every scientist he mentored, every ecosystem he helped safeguard, and every life he touched with quiet integrity."

"Our deepest sympathies to his family, friends, and all who were blessed to know him. The ocean is richer because of him, and the world is better because he walked it."

The UP Marine Institute also said that Carpenter also served as a scientific advisor to the Philippines during the arbitration case for the South China Sea, as he provided reports, testimonials, satellite imagery, and video evidence on the state of coral reefs in the area. He also worked on the Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park as he joined fish surveys and published papers on the area since 2018. — BAP, GMA News