Future Marine Guardians: IMA Hosts Bring-Your-Child-to-Work Day 2026
On August 7th, 2026, the Institute of Marine Affairs (IMA) hosted its annual Bring-Your-Child-to-Work Day (BYCWD), welcoming 17 children of staff for a day centred on learning and fun. The event aimed to show the young ones how their parents work together to protect Trinidad and Tobago’s oceans and coasts and to a variety of research careers in the marine and coastal environments that exist at the IMA and beyond. Following a warm welcome and introduction from Dr. Juman, Director (Ag.), the morning focused on educational tours and science career exploration, while the afternoon delivered food and entertainment. Ranging in age from 3 to 15 years,...
Using the Circular Economy Approach to Turn the Tide on Plastics Pollution: #BeatPlasticPollution
Plastic pollution continues to be the world’s most pressing environmental issue in the 21st century with disposable plastics polluting the world’s oceans. As ubiquitous as the sand, discarded single-use plastics are persistently found on almost every beach, waterway and in seas across the world, harming marine life through entanglement and ingestion, and posing a serious risk to marine ecosystems. The perceived current status quo of ‘business-as-usual’ can no longer be an option for countries and so the Institute of Marine Affairs, joins the international community in observing World Environment Day 2025 under the theme #beatPlasticsPollution in support of ending plastics pollution and adopting a...
Japanese Ambassador, H.E. Dr. Akima Umezawa pays Courtesy Call on the IMA
Chaguaramas, Trinidad, April 25, 2025 – The Institute of Marine Affairs (IMA) welcomed His Excellency Dr. Akima Umezawa, Ambassador of the Embassy of Japan to the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago at the Institute’s Research Facility on Friday, April 25, 2025. Ambassador Dr. Umezawa, accompanied by Mr. Saga Atsushi, First Secretary and Ms. Danielle Mangray, Economic Cooperation and Programme Coordinator of the Embassy of Japan to the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, paid a courtesy call on Dr. Ava Maxam, Director of the Institute of Marine Affairs on Friday 25th April 2025. Extending a warm welcome to His Excellency Dr. Akima Umezawa and his delegates,...
Opening Young Minds to Marine Careers at St. Augustine Girls’ High School
The Institute of Marine Affairs (IMA) participated in a Career Day at St. Augustine Girls' High School (SAGHS) on April 7, 2025. Students were introduced to the diverse and exciting fields within marine environmental science. The Institute’s Information Officer, Ms. Ganaselal, provided information on the wide range of careers available in the field, while Research Officer, Ms. Jute, shared insights on and showcased fascinating specimens from the Institute's Marine Reference Collection. Research Officer, Ms Alana Jute engages students on marine careers at the St. Augustine Girls' High School. Photo credit: Ms Ganaselal. Engaging over 100 students, the Institute’s participation provided the students with the opportunity to not...
IMA Extends Condolences on the Passing of Mr. Mark Loquan
A recipient of the Order of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago (ORTT) and former President of the National Gas Company of Trinidad and Tobago (NGC), Mr. Loquan championed environmental conservation, evident through his visionary leadership in successfully leading the NGC to collaborate with the IMA on a landmark project to rehabilitate mangrove forests in the Couva/Point Lisas area. A project, which to this day, continues unabated where both the collaborative partnership between the IMA and NGC has led to community engagement, a beach clean-up and ongoing community school awareness and outreach campaigns in an attempt to promote mangrove conservation. He was equally known for his...
Ambassador Seijoong Kwon Hosts Luncheon Meeting with Executive Staff of the IMA
His Excellency Seijoong Kwon, Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, hosted a luncheon meeting at his residence on Friday 14th March 2025 inviting the Chairman of the Board of Governors of the Institute of Marine Affairs (IMA), Mr. Ermath Harrington, the Director of the Institute of Marine Affairs, Dr. Ava Maxam, Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) Regional Director, Diane Quarless, and two senior IMA staff members. In his welcoming remarks, His Excellency, Seijoong Kwon, expressed his interest to collaborate with the IMA and ECLAC on co-hosting a Seminar on Climate Action in the Caribbean...
Upper Sixth Form Students of Arima North Secondary School Visit the IMA Laboratory
According to several studies, the greatest motivation to pursue knowledge is to expand the horizons of our thinking minds. School visits to research and science laboratories not only broaden the minds of students but also set the stage for career aspirations. This was the idea behind the school visit arranged and led by the Science Teacher of the Arima North Secondary School, Ms. Thomas. Nine Upper Sixth Environmental Science Students of Arima North Secondary were granted a tour of one of the science laboratories of the IMA on Wednesday 29 January 2025. This educational visit enabled the students to gain valuable data needed to...
Towards A Pollution-Free Coastal Environment
With students' return to school and the rainy season in full gear, our beaches bear the signs of the busy vacation months and an active rainy season with litter of all sorts- plastic and otherwise dotting the coastlines of popular bathing sites. Solid waste pollution, such as plastic wrappers and bottles, may have been left behind following times of family fun or brought to the shores through tidal wave action. This unsightly occurrence may seem insignificant; however, the impact of marine litter and pollution on the fragile ecosystems along our coastlines can be devastating for marine organisms, our fellow inhabitants of this planet. We...
Solving a Crossword Puzzle that aptly ‘Awakened New Depths’ of Ocean Knowledge for Staff in Observing World Oceans Day 2024
Can solving crossword puzzles help increase awareness of marine environmental issues? That is the challenge the Information Centre (IC)-Library Unit posed to staff and the Institute’s social media followers on Monday 10th June 2024 in observance of World Oceans Day 2024. Under this year’s theme for World Oceans Day, ‘Awaken New Depths’, staff were invited to solve a crossword puzzle to mark the globally observed environmental day, challenging and inspiring them to ‘awaken’ new personal depths of their knowledge of oceans, deep-sea life and ecosystems. The response/reaction/feedback, it was discovered, was a resonating yes. A total of fifteen (15) persons with eleven staff members across...
Piloting a Blue Carbon Credit System in Trinidad and Tobago: Opportunity for Financing Mangrove Conservation
by Dr. Rahanna Juman - Deputy Director of Research and Wetlands Ecologist The Institute of Marine Affairs (IMA) collaborates with the Inter-American Development Bank to pilot a Blue Carbon Credit System in Trinidad and Tobago. This project aims to design a high-quality blue carbon credit scheme to improve the digital mapping, monitoring, reporting, and verification of ecosystem services, promote management and ownership of natural capital, and create a practical opportunity for livelihood enhancements and revenue generation. Marine ecosystems, particularly tidal marshes, seagrass beds, and mangrove forests, absorb (sequester) and store carbon within biomass and soils. Commonly referred to as “blue carbon” ecosystems because of their relevance to...