The Palau International Coral Reef Center (PICRC) recently announced the retirement of Mr. Asap Bukurrou, a beloved team member who has played a vital role in the operations of the Center — and especially the Palau Aquarium — throughout his 16 years of dedicated service. His official retirement took place on October 10, when he was warmly celebrated by the team during a farewell luncheon as he embarked on a new chapter with PICRC.
Asap was part of the initial team that began working at the Center when it first opened in 2001. After being sent to Japan for training in aquarium husbandry, he returned to Palau to take up his position as an aquarist at a time when PICRC had only five staff members.
“When we first started, we were a small organization — and now we have more than 40 employees and have overcome many challenges,” Asap shared proudly, reflecting on his early days at PICRC. “I’m very happy that as I retire, I can see the Center flourishing and making a real impact in marine stewardship.”
Until 2021, Asap served as Senior Aquarist, taking care of aquarium maintenance, looking after marine species, and collecting new specimens when needed. He also led guided tours and participated in numerous educational and outreach activities.
As concern at PICRC grew over how the global threat of climate change could affect Palau’s coral reefs, the rising popularity of coral restoration techniques led to the creation of a new team of aquarium researchers — marking a turning point in Asap’s career. He became the Aquarium Supervisor, taking on the challenge of managing both the aquarist team and the newly formed research group.
From ensuring the smooth operation of the Aquarium to learning new skills to support coral research and restoration and sharing these efforts with visitors, Asap embraced every task with dedication. In 2021, he also began working on giant clam aquaculture alongside his coworkers, contributing to restoration initiatives such as those carried out in Ngiwal State as part of its Mangrove Ecotour. In 2023, he took on a new challenge as the host of Berius el Chais, PICRC’s radio program that continues to connect the Center’s work with the community.
Over all these years, Asap demonstrated a deep sense of responsibility toward PICRC’s mission and earned the respect and affection of everyone at the Center.
Fortunately, neither Berius el Chais nor PICRC will have to say a complete goodbye to him, as he will continue supporting the Center in a reduced-hours role. Among other things, he will keep hosting the radio program and assisting with fish collection for the Aquarium (which he admits is his favorite task), while beginning to enjoy his well-deserved retirement.
Looking ahead to future challenges for PICRC, Asap hopes to achieve stronger collaboration with the local community, particularly so that joint efforts can maximize the success of coral restoration projects, which are key to saving Palau’s reefs from the impacts of climate change.