RLUBEN lASKER: A Remembrance. 



cause of his scientific reputation, Reuben was able 

 to attract to the pages of the Fishery Bulletin not 

 only outstanding contributions from members of 

 the NMFS staff but also major contributions from 

 scientists outside NMFS. He initiated and enforced 

 a peer review system for reviewing manuscripts, not 

 only for the Fishery Bulletin but also for other 

 INMFS publications. His impact on the scientific 

 image, character, and tone projected by NMFS 

 publications was a reflection of his own standards 

 of scientific excellence and personal integrity. The 

 revitalized Fishery Bulletin, an indispensable re- 

 search journal to those in the field of fisheries, now 

 reaches several thousands of readers worldwide. 

 Reuben's contributions as Scientific Editor were 

 even more remarkable becaues he worked at this 

 job only half-time while continuing his research on 

 fish physiology. 



Reuben also served as an essential link to the 

 surrounding academic community, particularly the 

 nearby Scripps Institution of Oceanography with 

 which the fisheries laboratory had long maintained 

 close ties. In 1966 he received an appointment as 

 an Associate Professor of Marine Biology in Resi- 

 dence at Scripps and in 1973 was appointed 

 Adjunct Professor of Marine Biology. He supported 

 and encouraged his graduate students, and partici- 

 pated with his usual enthusiasm in faculty commit- 

 tee work. It was most typical of Reuben that al- 

 though his strength was sapped by his illness he 

 introduced his last graduate student at a thesis de- 

 fense several days before his death with humor and 

 wit. 



During his 30 years as a government scientist 

 he put together many workshops and meetings 

 which attracted scientists from all over the world 

 and fostered creative collaborative efforts. For 

 example, in recent years, he organized workshops 

 for the Sardine-Anchovy Recruitment Program 

 (SARP) which brought together scientists from all 

 major upwelling regions of the world to develop a 

 practical plan for studying recruitment. Major credit 

 for the active and productive SARP programs that 

 exist today in many parts of the world belongs to 

 Reuben's efforts and interest. 



He was a gregarious man who loved people 

 and conversation. He delighted in travel to the far 

 places of the world. Many of the letters received 

 after his death testify eloquently to the warm affec- 



tion and regard in which he was held by hundreds 

 of his colleagues throughout the world. 



During his lifetime Reuben was the recipient of 

 high honors. The U.S. Government awarded him 

 the Meritorious Service Award of the G.S. Depart- 

 ment of the Interior (Silver Medal Award) in 1970 

 and the Distinguished Service Award of the G.S. 

 Department of Commerce (Gold Medal Award) in 

 1974. The Canadian Government's Bedford Insti- 

 tute of Oceanography awarded him the Huntsman 

 Medal for Excellence in Biological Oceanography in 

 1983. 



Reuben's preeminent role as outstanding 

 researcher, his practical wisdom, wide experience, 

 and knowledge made him much sought after as a 

 prime mover, advisor, and member of many pres- 

 tigious committees, commissions, and boards 

 where he served with distinction, most recently as a 

 member of the Ocean Studies Board of the Na- 

 tional Academy of Sciences. 



He maintained close ties with friends and col- 

 leagues around the world, through voluminous cor- 

 respondence and telephone calls. He was ever the 

 optimist and many of his correspondents never 

 realized the gravity of his illness which re-occurred 

 in March of 1987. As his lifelong close friend. Dr. 

 Howard Feder of the University of Alaska wrote 

 later, "I can hear Reuben's voice in my head saying, 

 'Goodbye, old buddy. Don't be sad. I did everything 

 I wanted; I have no regrets. Remember, Howie, life 

 goes on! Enjoy yourself.'" On April 27, 1988 his 

 friends scattered his ashes from the National 

 Marine Fisheries Service research vessel, Dauid 

 Starr Jordan, appropriately enough, in the sea off 

 Point Loma, known as Lasker's Lake. 



For those of us lucky enough to have shared 

 this life with him, the thought of Reuben will always 

 bring the warmest memories. As his friend Lucian 

 Sprague wrote, "As long as there are friends who 

 remember him, students to read his papers and to 

 carry on his work, he will be very much with us in 

 spirit." 



In the year which followed Reuben's death, his 

 friends organized the Reuben Lasker Memorial 

 Fund. The Fund is administered by the Coordinator 

 of the California Cooperative Oceanic Fisheries 

 Committee (CalCOFI) and is used for travel fellow- 

 ships for students to attend the annual CalCOFI 

 meeting. Anyone interested in contributing to the 



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