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...
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
On the rough and tumultuous journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem, a young family carried the world’s most precious cargo and birthed the promise of ages in a stable amongst the bleating of sheep and the din of other lowly barn animals. The child king received from wise men of old, gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh; yet it was He, that child king that gave the best gift of all. ...
Ocean Conservancy – International Coastal Cleanup (ICC) Day 2021
Did you know that marine litter such as plastic bottles, bottle caps, food wrappers and styrofoam are among the most common items found littered on our beaches? To learn more on the top ten items collcted on our beaches and coastal areas and across the world, please view this informative inforgraphic prepared Mrs. Christine Thomas-Dookie....
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...
Coral Reefs and COP-26: Coral Bleaching Alert in Tobago
: Coral bleaching has been observed in Pillar corals found in the shallow areas of Buccoo and Plymouth Reefs. Photo courtesy Lanya Fanovich, Environmental Research Institute of Charlotteville...
Massive Sargassum Influx on Caribbean Shorelines linked to Climate Change: Hazard or Hope
By Dr. Rahanna Juman, Director (Ag.) and Wetlands Ecologist For yet another year, massive quantities of Sargassum are seen washing up along Caribbean coasts. This unprecedented, massive, episodic influxes of floating sargassum seaweed on coastlines was first observed in 2011 and has had significant negative impacts, particularly on coastal communities and livelihoods, public health, tourism and fisheries (UNEP 2021). This issue therefore represents an emerging hazard for a region that is already subject to numerous hazards and indeed, various countries in the Caribbean have declared national states of emergency with respect to sargassum influxes (Desrochers et al. 2020). This new source of sargassum is likely...
Shubh Divali!
On behalf of the Board of Governors and Management, I extend warm Divali greetings to all of you on the joyous occasion of Divali. May the festival of lights illuminate your life with knowledge, forgiveness and kindness. Shubh Divali!...
Diversity: A Key to Reducing Vulnerability in the Fishing Industry
We are all familiar with the fisherman bringing in the day’s catch, selling his fish at the market or perhaps along the roadside. However, do you know there are many more roles performed in the fishing industry? The industry includes all the processes involved in getting the fish out of the water and on to our plates; the different types of boats, fishing gear and fishing methods, the various post harvesting processing methods and facilities, and the distribution and marketing channels of the fish and fishery products. The available roles identified along fisheries value chains can therefore be quite diverse. Disruptions along the various...