First Stakeholder Consultation Meeting under the Prevention of Marine Litter in the Caribbean Sea (PROMAR)
The Institute of Marine Affairs (IMA), in partnership with the Ministry of Planning and Development, in its capacity as the Political Partner for the Prevention of Marine Litter in the Caribbean Sea (PROMAR) Project, launched the Prevention of Marine Litter in the Caribbean Sea (PROMAR) Project Inception Hybrid Meeting and Stakeholder Consultation at the Institute of Marine Affairs on April 23, 2025. The PROMAR Project is being implemented in the Latin American and Caribbean region of which Trinidad and Tobago is one of several recipient countries. Aimed at reducing the flow of single-use packaging waste from terrestrial sources entering the Caribbean Sea through policies,...
IMA Contributes to Charting a Blue Future for Trinidad and Tobago 2025
The United Nations (UN) Resident Coordinator Team in Trinidad and Tobago presented their National Oceans Conference Report at the UN Conference in Nice, France, which took place from June 9-13, 2025. This presentation was part of a larger effort to highlight Trinidad and Tobago’s commitment to Sustainable Development Goal 14: Life Below Water and to amply the Caribbean voice in shaping global ocean policy. The Institute of Marine Affairs (IMA) proudly joined the panel of a two-day national conference on May 15-16, 2025 under the theme, “Charting a Blue Future: Trinidad and Tobago’s Road to the 2025 UN Ocean Conference” contributing to the national conversation. ...
IMA commemorates World Oceans Day 2025 with Launch of New Coral Reef Book
The Institute of Marine Affairs (IMA) is excited to launch the Second Edition of Coral Reefs of Trinidad and Tobago written by Dr Anjani Ganase in commemoration of World Oceans Day. World Oceans Day, designated by the United Nations, is commemorated every year on June 8 to celebrate the world’s greatest wonder- the ocean. The theme this year is “Wonder; Sustaining what Sustains us”. Coral reefs provide food and medicines and serve as the natural infrastructure that sequester carbon and buffer shores. These ecosystems support tourism and fisheries by harbouring rich biodiversity, yet instead of acting with appreciation and amazement towards them, we have...
From the Caribbean to the Côte d’Azur: IMA Brings Regional Voices to One Ocean Science Congress
From June 3–6, 2025, the city of Nice, France, played host to the One Ocean Science Congress (OOSC), a global gathering of ocean scientists, communicators, policymakers, and civil society advocates. Held in advance of the upcoming third United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC3), the event served as a space for dialogue on some of the most pressing challenges facing our ocean today including climate resilience, marine spatial planning, ocean literacy, and inclusive ocean governance. The Institute of Marine Affairs (IMA) was proud to be among the organisations contributing to these critical conversations. Representing Trinidad and Tobago and by extension, the wider Caribbean was Ms. Nikia Gooding,...
IMA – TT Coast Guard Collaboration for Tracking Oil Spills
The Institute of Marine Affairs (IMA) is proud to be collaborating with the Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard (TTCG) for tracking and identification of oil spills across Trinidad and Tobago.Under the National Oil Spill Contingency Protocol (NOSCP), led by the Ministry of Energy & Energy Industries (MEEI), IMA with TTCG and several other agencies actively respond various aspects of oil spill tracking and remediation.As part of the NOSCP, the IMA carries out sampling and conducts fingerprinting analysis using the state-of-the-art Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometer (GCMS).The IMA is also developing an oil fingerprinting database, which will serve to cross-reference oil samples with originating refineries across...
Using the Circular Economy Approach to Turn the Tide on Plastics Pollution: #BeatPlasticPollution
Plastic pollution continues to be the world’s most pressing environmental issue in the 21st century with disposable plastics polluting the world’s oceans. As ubiquitous as the sand, discarded single-use plastics are persistently found on almost every beach, waterway and in seas across the world, harming marine life through entanglement and ingestion, and posing a serious risk to marine ecosystems. The perceived current status quo of ‘business-as-usual’ can no longer be an option for countries and so the Institute of Marine Affairs, joins the international community in observing World Environment Day 2025 under the theme #beatPlasticsPollution in support of ending plastics pollution and adopting a...
Trinidad and Tobago tackles Marine Plastic Litter with National Dialogue and Circular Economy Solutions
Port of Spain– In a major step toward combatting marine plastic litter and strengthening waste management frameworks, the Institute of Marine Affairs (IMA), in collaboration with the Ministry of Planning, Economic Affairs and Development and international project partners, hosted a two-day National Policy Dialogue and Workshop under the Prevention of Marine Litter in the Caribbean Sea (PROMAR) Project. The events were held on 3–4 June 2025 at the Kapok Hotel, St. Clair. Funded by the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection (BMUV) and coordinated by Zukunft – Umwelt – Gesellschaft gGmbH (ZUG), PROMAR supports participating countries in reducing plastic packaging...
Jindo Sea Parting – Tidal Harmonics
Would you walk through the sea if it parted? Would you? Really? In South Korea, at the southern tip of the Korean Peninsula, a natural phenomenon takes place in the Jindo Sea in which the northern portion of the East China Sea opens up just wide enough to expose and reveal a 1.8-mile long stretch of sand, connecting South Korea's Jindo Island to the nearby island of Modo. This phenomenon ONLY happens TWICE a year lasting long enough for people to walk across to the other island in the middle of the sea. Commonly known as tidal harmonics, this predictable phenomenon is caused by the...