JUMPSTART- Greenwater Hapa-based Tilapia Fingerling Production System
JUMPSTART- Greenwater Hapa-based Tilapia Fingerling Production System The 2015-2016 Jumpstart programme was designed to support on-going activities to boost tilapia production in Trinidad through the delivery of technical advice to fish farmers and the provision of fingerlings. A hapa-based green water nursery system was implemented in 2016 for tilapia fingerling production. The environmental, biological and economic aspect of such a fingerling production system was documented, and will be used to create a manual to be made available to tilapia farmers....
Feasibility Study on the Use of a Land-Based Integrated Multi-Trophic Aquaculture (LB-IMTA) System
Feasibility Study on the Use of a Land-Based Integrated Multi-Trophic Aquaculture (LB-IMTA) System in the Treatment of Wastewater Released From a Marine Re-circulated aquaculture SYStem (RAS) This project aims to improve the operations of the marine recirculating aquaculture system (RAS). A land-based integrated multi-trophic aquaculture (LB-IMTA) system capable of treating nutrient-rich water exuded from the shrimp (Penaeus vannamei )culture tanks within the marine RAS was installed in an attempt to reuse water. The purpose of introducing this infrastructure is not only to improve the economic viability for this marine shrimp species, but also attempt to create a stand-alone marine production model capable of being situated...
Socio-economic Baseline Assessment of the Shellfish (oyster and crab) Harvesting Activities in the Gulf of Paria
Socio-economic Baseline Assessment of the Shellfish (oyster and crab) Harvesting Activities in the Gulf of Paria Over time pressure from human activities exerted upon wetlands situated on the west coast Trinidad (Caroni Swamp, Godineau and Rousillac) have impacted on the livelihoods of those working in the shellfish industry. To further our understanding of the on-going impacts of development on wetland dependent livelihoods, this project establishes a socio-economic baseline on shellfish gatherers working from the wetland of the west coast of Trinidad. An interim report was produced based on an analysis of the questionnaire issued....
Age and Growth Studies of the Marine Invasive Pterois Volitans (Lionfish) from Early Invasion in Tobago Waters
Age and Growth Studies of the Marine Invasive Pterois Volitans (Lionfish) from Early Invasion in Tobago Waters The second known marine Invasive Alien Species (IAS) in Trinidad and Tobago, is the Lionfish, Pterois volitans. Introduced into the Atlantic Ocean from the Indo-Pacific, the Lionfish, was first captured in Castara, Tobago in July 2012 and at Saut D’eau, on the north coast of Trinidad in July 2013 completing its spread throughout the region. Within the Caribbean, predicted impacts include competition with native species for prey and habitat, direct predation on native species, and altered native fish community structure. Research aimed at managing these impacts requires improved...
Marine Reference Collection
Marine Reference Collection The Institute of Marine Affairs (IMA) is the custodian of the only Marine Reference Collection in Trinidad and Tobago. This collection is of national, regional and global significance in terms of its unique contents and relationship to world-wide taxonomic holdings. It is the largest collection of marine specimens for Trinidad and Tobago, and includes a number of fish species, molluscs, crustaceans, and corals. The IMA is now in the process of upgrading this collection, and integrating it into the global network of taxonomic holdings using up to date collection management standards....
An Investigation into the Increase in Prevalence of Yellow Band Disease in Orbicella Faveolata under Increasing Nutrient Enrichment
An Investigation into the Increase in Prevalence of Yellow Band Disease in Orbicella Faveolata under Increasing Nutrient Enrichment Whilst Caribbean coral reefs have been negatively impacted by coral diseases leading to severe declines in hard coral cover, very few studies have been conducted in Tobago. This project will establish the first baseline Yellow-band disease dataset in Orbicella .faveolata, a major reef building species in Tobago. It will determine the water quality parameters that make a significant contribution to poor coral health, and identify areas at greatest risk of Yellow-band disease outbreaks....
Development of an Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) plan and marine spatial plan
Development of an Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) plan and marine spatial plan for the North West Peninsula of Trinidad A draft Integrated Coastal Zone Management Policy Framework was developed in 2014 by a Multi-sectoral Steering Committee appointed by Cabinet in 2012. This initiative was led by the IMA. The implementation of the ICZM policy framework will require regional plans to be developed collaboratively with key stakeholders. The Northwest Peninsula of Trinidad, extending from Scotland Bay to the mouth of the Diego Martin River, was selected as the pilot area for the development of an ICZM and Marine Spatial Plan (MSP) since this coastal area...
An Investigation of the Benthic (fauna on and in the Seabed) Community structure along the South East Coast and Galeota Port, Trinidad
An Investigation of the Benthic (fauna on and in the Seabed) Community structure along the South East Coast and Galeota Port, Trinidad Trinidad and Tobago acceded to the International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships’ Ballast Water and Sediments (BWM Convention) in January 2012. Ships carry ballast water to provide stability, thrust and manoeuvrability, depending on the quantity of cargo being transported; as well as to compensate loss of fuel weight, water consumption, and to maintain structural stress at acceptable levels while in operations. The BWM Convention came into force in 2017, and requires new and existing ships carrying ballast water to control...
Monitoring of the seagrass communities around Trinidad and Tobago
Monitoring of the seagrass communities around Trinidad and Tobago An inventory of the seagrass communities around Trinidad and Tobago was completed in 2001 and a monitoring programme was developed and implemented in 2002. Seagrass growth and productivity are monitored at four sites along the northwest peninsula of Trinidad and five sites in southwest Tobago, four times per year. In 2006, the monitoring programme was expanded to include water quality sampling. Water quality parameters including nitrates, nitrites, ammonia, phosphates, and chlorophyll a concentrations are collected twice per year at all nine seagrass sites. In 2017, the faunal species that live on and within the seagrass bed...
Monitoring of Coral Reefs
Monitoring of Coral Reefs Baseline studies on coral reefs in Tobago were conducted in the 1980’s and repeated in 2008. Based on the recommendations from the 2008 report, a monitoring programme was developed. This programme include a high-resolution examination of the stability of the coral community structure and demography (recruitment, growth, survivorship, etc.) of major coral reef organisms on an impacted reef (Buccoo Reef), less impacted (Culloden Reef), and an intermediate reef (Speyside Reef). Additional coral sites at Charlotteville, Castara and Plymouth were established in 2015. Fish, macroalgal and macroinvertebrate (principally including corals, gorgonians and sea urchins) populations are studied at the same permanent transects...