14 October 2021
The event is over.
(Online) Histories: Empire, Experiments and Reports of the Fisheries Department
14 October 2021
6:00pm – 7:00pm
Online event
Fish was a staple diet for those living in early Singapore. It was one of the most readily accessible food sources available to the people in Malaya and Singapore. Yet despite their widespread consumption, very little was actually known about the fishes that lived in Malayan waters.
In 1923, the Fisheries Department of the Straits Settlements and Federated Malay States was founded to find out more about fishes in Malayan waters. As the central authority on fisheries in British Malaya, the Department conducted investigations into local aquatic fauna. Many curious, and unexpected connections surfaced during the course of their explorations and experiments.
Join Choo Ruizhi as he shares some of his encounters and experiences trawling through the annual reports of the Fisheries Department. He will also share his views on what these sources can tell us about colonial science in Singapore.
About the Speaker
Choo Ruizhi holds a Master of Arts (History) from the National University of Singapore (NUS). In 2020, his study of British Malaya’s colonial fisheries was awarded the NUS Wang Gungwu Prize for the best Master’s thesis in the Social Sciences/Humanities. In his free time, Ruizhi likes to wander through Singapore’s past and present landscapes on foot, by bus and in the archives.
About the Series
This series highlights research on historical and related matters in Singapore and the region, creating an appreciation of the role of humanities and social science research in contemporary society.
Online Programme/Event Administrative Information
- This programme is conducted entirely online. You may access Zoom via the app or using a web browser
- Please ensure that you enter a valid email address as you will receive an email with the link to the online programme/event near the day of the programme/event
- The link of the programme should not be shared with others
- Do ensure you have a strong internet connection. Using your mobile data is not recommended
- The National Library Board, Singapore (NLB) reserves the right in its absolute discretion to disqualify or refuse admission to any registrant without any reason and notice