The Marine Resilience Initiative (MARIN) Tobago Project Launch
The Marine Resilience Initiative (MARIN) Tobago Project will be launched at the Pigeon Point Heritage Park, by the Institute of Marine Affairs (IMA), in partnership with bp Trinidad and Tobago. It is an 18-month pilot which seeks to determine the appropriate and feasible rehabilitation strategies for both the coral reef as well as the seagrass beds that surround Tobago. The coral reef and seagrass beds that are part of Tobago’s marine ecosystem have suffered degradation over decades by a combination of climate change and human impacts. One of the most notable impacts was the loss of up to 50 per cent of hard coral cover...
Rip Currents! We must Exercise Caution on our Beaches!
By Christopher Alexis, Researcher, Oceanography & Coastal Processes Department Trinidad and Tobago’s beaches have been re-opened after a lengthy closure because of the COVID -19 pandemic. Our citizens may once again enjoy the coastal waters that surround our twin island republic. Notwithstanding our love for the sea, the Institute of Marine Affairs strongly advises that the public exercise caution on the nation’s beaches, particularly over this Easter weekend, as our heightened excitement may reduce our awareness of the coastal environment. During the year from an oceanographic perspective, there are the summer (May to October) and the winter (November to April) periods. The summer months have characteristically...
Groundwater: out of Sight but not out of Mind
By Aleisha Dennie, Institute of Marine Affairs If compelled to, what aspect of our lifestyle do you think we can sustain without the input of water? The answer should be clear. Water in its liquid form fuels the lives of humans, animals, and ecosystems at large. Though much of the world’s freshwater is locked within ice caps, a great portion is available to us in the form of groundwater. Groundwater is said to represent 98% of the world’s accessible freshwater (Farrell 2007). With human demands for freshwater reaching an all-time high in recent years, it is no surprise that utilisation of groundwater has become essential...
Making believers out of sceptics: Wetland’s Hidden Treasures
by Attish Kanhai “What about the area in front of Five Islands Amusement park?” was the suggestion from a colleague as we planned our activities for World Wetlands month (February 2022). “I don’t know, is there nice?” came my sceptical reply. “Well there’s a lot of birds and the place is quite scenic,” was the subtle retort. I remained unconvinced and with some trepidation, I prepared for a site visit. Granted it was five minutes away from the office and I am not much of a bird watcher, “How bad could it be?” I thought to myself. To my knowledge, much of the coastline in the western peninsula...
Recovering Marine Wildlife for our Sustainable Development
by Sheldon Ramoutar On 20 December 2013, the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed the 3, March World Wildlife Day to raise awareness of the world’s wild animals and plants. The theme for 2022 "Recovering key species for ecosystem restoration" was announced by the Secretariat for the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). CITES is one of the world's most powerful tools for wildlife conservation through the regulation of international trade, which was signed in 1973. It comprises 183 Parties (182 countries + the European Union). The 2022 theme is geared towards highlighting and promoting the best practices for...
Women and Girls in Science ‘Equity, Diversity and Inclusion: Water Unites Us’
IMA Women in Science by Hannah Lochan...
VALUE – MANAGE – RESTORE: LOVE YOUR WETLANDS
Black-bellied tree ducks in Icacos Swamp by Rahanna Juman ...
Let us Empower ourselves with sound Information for 2022! – A Transparent and Accessible Ocean with Open Access to Data, Information and Technologies
by Paul Nelson and Lorraine Barrow There is something about the start of a new year that can bring a whiff of green optimism and a breath of fresh ocean air. It affords us the opportunity to pause and revisit occurrences and experiences of the past year and make new resolutions. One thing that stood out in 2021, against a backdrop of the unrelenting COVID-19 pandemic, were the extreme weather events signaling that climate change is REAL! As the year 2022 gets into its stride with new year resolutions, let us include self-empowerment with sound information and data to go GREEN as we make every...
Leave Only Your Footprints on the Sand
Prepared by Ms. Nikia Gooding, Junior Research Fellow We are all too familiar with the garbage found on our shores and waterways. It is a shared experience to come across litter on beaches across Trinidad and Tobago, in fact, you could even tell the popular beaches by the presence of more litter. Some of these experiences that you may be able to relate to include: Settling on a spot of sand trying to avoid discarded pieces of packages, wrappers, styrofoam, bottles, and plastics;Building sandcastles and finding pieces of old glass bottles;Bathing in the sea and being touched by an old snack pack or seeing a plastic...
Wetlands: Key in Coping with Climate Change
Red Mangrove Trees within Caroni Swamp – Ramsar Site Photo Credit: Lorraine Barrow, IMA...
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