Institute of Marine Affairs and SECORE International Join Forces to Restore Tobago’s Coral Reefs
Port of Spain – The Institute of Marine Affairs (IMA) is pleased to announce its partnership with SECORE International, Inc., an implementing partner under the Marine Resilience Initiative (MARIN) Tobago project. The Institute’s collective goal is to restore Tobago’s coral reef in terms of coral cover and biodiversity. Such efforts are urgently needed given the threat of global climate change to coral reefs and the vulnerability of Small Island Developing States.
SECORE is a leading organization in developing and sharing the methods and technologies for a large-scale restoration of corals. The organisation’s work focuses on integrating science and innovative technology to implement coral restoration through use of larval propagation and coral seeding techniques. By using the natural reproduction potential of corals for restoration efforts, new corals can be produced en masse, while enhancing the corals’ diversity and thus resilience.
In 2021, during the pilot phase of the MARIN project, IMA staff was trained by SECORE International, Inc. on how to monitor coral spawning and conduct larval propagation methods to breed coral offspring. For the second phase of MARIN, the IMA will apply this method to corals around Tobago under the mentorship of SECORE.
MARIN Tobago is a five-year grant-funded project aimed at pioneering activities for coral reef and seagrass restoration in Tobago through community-based engagement and capacity development to foster sustainable biodiversity conservation. Tobago is home to diverse marine life, and advocacy continues for safeguarding the environment and essential ecosystem services. Areas of focus include the Buccoo Reef Marine Protected Area (Est. 1973) and the proposed Northeast Tobago marine protected area and designated UNESCO Man and Biosphere Reserve (2022). The partnership with SECORE supports the key goals of the MARIN Tobago project to build ocean resilience, restore Tobago’s coral reefs and seagrass beds, and generate ocean stewardship through community outreach.
“SECORE is thrilled to formalise our partnership with IMA through this grant and welcome them into our network of Implementation Partners. Particularly now that we have visited Tobago and met many of the project stakeholders, we look forward to working together and learning from each other for the benefit of country’s reefs and people over the coming five years.” – Quote by: Aric Bickel – Director of Technology and Implementation for SECORE International.
“We are excited for the opportunity to officially join SECORE International’s network as an implementation partner. We look forward to working alongside their expert staff, the Tobago House of Assembly and our partners in Tobago to build reef resilience through sustainable strategies in adaptive management and coral restoration.” – Quote by: Dr. Anjani – MARIN Project Lead.
For more information contact the IMA at:
Krystal Chandler-Ganaselal
Information Officer/Public Relations
Institute of Marine Affairs
Tel: (868) 634-4291/4 Ext *2415/2406
Fax: (868) 634-4433
Email: kchandler@ima.gov.tt
Website: www.ima.gov.tt
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