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...
Natural Capital Underwater: Why Seagrass Restoration Matters
“Look a turtle!” Always the inevitable cry of first-timers who accompany me on my sampling trips in the Bon Accord Lagoon. On my frequent visits to the seagrass beds in Tobago’s southwest, turtles are some of the more prominent guests, unmistakable by their remarkable speed underwater or their cautious heads peeking above the surface. Thalassia testudinum, known by the common name, turtle grass, derives its name from being the meal of choice for turtles, mostly green turtles (Chelonia mydas). The feeding of turtles on turtle grass, apart from providing nourishment for turtles, is also beneficial to the seagrasses. The grazing of turtles on the...
The Japanese Emperor’s Birthday Reception 2025
On February 14 March, 2025, a reception to celebrate the Birthday of His Majesty, the Emperor of Japan, was hosted by His Excellency Dr. Akima UMEZAWA, Ambassador of the Embassy of Japan to the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago at his residence. Pictured in the photograph are His Excellency Seijoong Kwon, Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, Captain Don Polo, Commanding Officer of the Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard and his wife Mrs. Laura Polo, Chief Fire Officer (Ag.), Andy Hutchinson, and Dr. Ava Maxam, Director of the Institute of Marine Affairs (IMA), who were among the specially...
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...
IMA-NGC Convened a Successful Community Stakeholder Meeting
The Institute of Marine Affairs, in partnership with the National Gas Company of Trinidad and Tobago Limited (NGC), held a community meeting at the Roystonia Community Centre, Couva on January 21, 2025. Under the IMA-NGC Stakeholder Engagement – Mangrove Rehabilitation and Restoration Project, which primarily aims to restore and conserve mangrove coverage in Carli Bay, the first community meeting was held to impart knowledge on the significance of mangrove forests and to solicit feedback and input from the community on issues and concerns relating to mangrove conservation in the area. One of several activities that will be undertaken under the Mangrove Rehabilitation and Restoration Project,...
Protecting Wetlands for Our Common Future
Value. Protect. Inspire As we celebrate World Wetlands Day 2025, let us reflect on the significance of this year’s theme ‘Protecting Wetlands for Our Common Future.’ So, what are wetlands and why should we protect them? Defined by the Convention of Wetlands of International Importance, commonly known as the Ramsar Convention (signed in 1971 in Ramsar, Iran), wetlands are “areas of marsh, fen, peatland or water, whether natural or artificial, permanent or temporary, with water that is static or flowing, fresh, brackish or salt, including areas of marine water, the depth of which at low tide does not exceed six meters” This definition is inclusive and encompasses...
Using Digital Twins of the Ocean to Build Capacity in theWider Caribbean Region
WHAT ARE DTOs AND HOW CAN THEY BUILD CAPACITY? By Ali L. Hochberg, Lorna Inniss, Joana Akrofi, Kadean Blake-Smithen, David A. Farrell, Magali Gonçalves, and Dr. Rahanna Juman An emerging technology for building capacity to make decisions in the ocean space is the development of Digital Twins of the Ocean (DTOs). A DTO is a virtual replication of the ocean environment, including its properties, behaviors, and processes (https://www. mercator-ocean.eu/en/digital-twin-ocean/). These digital replicas are created using a combination of real-time data collected from satellites and thousands of sensors deployed around the world, as well as outputs of advanced models and computer simulations. By consolidating and integrating...
IMA hosts Stakeholder Engagement Session to Shape 2025-2030 Strategic Plan
The Institute of Marine Affairs (IMA) convened its Stakeholder Engagement Session under the theme ‘Road to the Extraordinary: The Path Less Travelled’ on Wednesday 27th November 2024. This pivotal event brought together key stakeholders to collaboratively chart the organisation’s 2025-2030 Strategic Plan, with a focus on innovation, resilience and transformative decision-making. Dr. Maxam presents during stakeholder engagement session Delivering the keynote address on behalf of the Honourable Pennelope Beckles, Minister of Planning and Development, Deputy Permanent Secretary, Ms. Melanie Noel emphasised the significance of stakeholder inclusion, stating, “All sectors of society need to be engaged. Public policy is not worth the paper it is on if stakeholders are...