IMA Research Team Embarks on a Legendary Voyage Aboard RV Falkor (too)
Trinidad and Tobago is about to make history! From June 29 – July 28, 2026, local scientists from SpeSeas, The University of the West Indies (UWI) St. Augustine, and the Institute of Marine Affairs (IMA) will join the Schmidt Ocean Institute’s RV Falkor (too) on a groundbreaking deep-sea expedition. For the IMA research staff, stepping aboard the Schmidt Ocean Institute’s RV Falkor (too) is like entering a floating university, one that sails directly into the mysteries of the ocean with cutting-edge technologies at their fingertips. R/V Falkor (too) sails the South Pacific off the coast of Chile after the reconstruction of its bow.Credit: Schmidt Ocean Institute...
Institute of Marine Affairs Mourns the Passing of Professor Emeritus John Agard
The Institute of Marine Affairs (IMA) joins the national and international communities in mourning the loss of Professor Emeritus John Agard, who passed away on 19 June 2026. Professor Agard was an internationally respected environmental scientist, a pioneering advocate for climate change action, and a steadfast champion of evidence-based sustainability management. His distinguished career began at the IMA in the mid-1980s, where he conducted foundational marine and ecological research before serving as Professor of Tropical Island Ecology and Head of the Department of Life Sciences at The University of the West Indies (UWI), St. Augustine. His academic leadership and scientific contributions profoundly shaped ecological research and...
World Oceans Day 2026 – Message from the Director of the Institute of Marine Affairs
On this World Oceans Day, we gather under the inspiring theme “Reimagine” and recommit to the long-term vision of “Strong Marine Protected Areas for Our Blue Planet.” This year, we are called to repair our bond with the ocean, our planet’s beating blue heart. The ocean sustains life, regulates our climate, and provides food, livelihoods, and cultural identity for billions of people. Yet, it faces unprecedented pressures from pollution, overfishing, and climate change. To reimagine our relationship with the ocean is to envision a future where marine ecosystems are resilient, thriving, and safeguarded for generations to come. Strong, well-managed marine protected areas are central to this...
World Environment Day 2026 – Steering Local Marine Research and Planning #NowForClimate
Inspired by WED Theme, ‘Climate Action’, Coral reefs embody both the beauty of nature and their critical role in climate resilienceCredit: Jonathan Gomez, IMA School of Goat Fish in Kilgwyn Reef, Tobago – fish are critical to our marine ecosystemsCredit: Jonathan Gomez, IMA Today, as we join the global community in celebrating World Environment Day 2026, the call for urgent Climate Action resonates deeply within our oceans. The Earth is sending undeniable signals, rising sea levels, shifting marine temperatures, and ecosystem stress, reminding us that our response must be immediate, collective, and guided by science. At the Institute of Marine Affairs (IMA), our mission is to conduct...