Fisheries education started in the University of the Philippines, College of Liberal Arts just before the Second World War. It was considered a filed in natural science in the Department of Zoology and Only seven students graduated from this academic program. For reasons unknown, the B.S. in Fisheries Program in both the Zoology Department and College of Agriculture was phased out.

The Philippine government, recognizing the need for a well-rounded fisheries education, provided for the establishment of a school of fisheries under the management and supervision of the Division of Fisheries, Department of Agriculture and Commerce. Through the Commonwealth Act No. 1941, the amount of P333,000.00 was appropriated for the project. Unfortunately, the outbreak of the war in December 1941 suspended the project indefinitely.

During the Japanese occupation, the idea of establishing a school of Fisheries was renewed, thus prompting the National Assembly to pass Bill No. 244, which subsequently became act No. 54, authorizing the establishment of a School of Fisheries with an appropriation of P400,000.00. The Philippine School of Fisheries was thus established and housed in a two-story building at Daan-Hari, Navotas, Rizal. It was formally opened on July 1, 1944. This school, however, operated only for about two-and-a-half months because it was forced to close due to uncertain conditions of the time.

When the Commonwealth Government of the Philippines was re-established after World War II, an appropriation was made for the organization, operation, and maintenance of a school of fisheries by virtue of Commonwealth Act No. 7 18 (e). On January 31, 1946, the president of the Commonwealth of the Philippines approved the release of P255,380.00 out of the P333,000.00 allotment under a special budget which made possible the opening of the Philippine School of Fisheries. The Philippine School of Fisheries was transferred to the Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources which was later renamed Philippine Institute of Fisheries Technology (PIFT). This was located in Bangkulasi, Navotas, Rizal from 1946 to 1949. The house owned by the Mabantas served as the administration building, and three pre-fabricated quonset houses served as lecture and laboratory rooms. The PIFT was under the supervision of the Bureau of Fisheries, Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources.

From 1949 to 1954, the PIFT was housed together with the Bureau of Fisheries at the Corner Rizal Hal and Library Annex of the University of the Philippines at Padre Faura, Manila. From 1954 to 1956, the Institute was housed at the RFC Building No. 4 at the corner of 23rd and Boston Streets, Port Area, Manila.

The PIFT was authorized to establish regional branches to offer fisheries courses in the secondary level. By 1957, seven regional schools of fisheries in the secondary level were opened. All these schools were under the supervision and administration of the Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources, through the Bureau of Fisheries.

In January, 1957, however, the Reorganization Commission by Virtue of the Reorganization Act (Republic Act No. 977) and on approval of President Ramon Magsaysay, effected the transfer of the PIFT to the University of the Philippines and seven regional branch schools to the Bureau of Public Schools. Thus, the PIFT became an academic degree-granting unit of the University of the Philippines.