IMA Takes Coral Restoration to GCFI78
Ms Hannah Lohan, Research Officer of the Institute of Marine Affairs, represented Trinidad and Tobago at the 78th Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute (GCFI78) in Cartagena, Colombia, hosted by The Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute (GCFI). GCFI is a long-standing regional organisation dedicated to improving the sustainability, management and conservation of marine and coastal resources across the Gulf of Mexico, the Caribbean and adjoining waters. The event brought together scientists, policymakers, NGOs, resource managers, educators and ocean professionals from across the wider Caribbean and Gulf region to exchange knowledge, showcase innovation and strengthen partnerships for sustainable ocean management. This annual gathering provides a critical platform...
BBNJ Agreement Now a Legally Binding Agreement: Enforcement Effective January 17, 2026
The Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Treaty, formally known as the Agreement under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction, has officially been ratified! On September 19, 2025, the BBNJ Treaty, also referred to as the High Seas Treaty, surpassed the required sixty (60) state ratifications to become a legally binding treaty. United Nations Secretary-General of António Guterres welcomed the historic achievement and remarked, “As we confront the triple planetary crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution, this agreement is a lifeline for the ocean and humanity.” What this...
Emerging Skillsets and Career Paths in Marine Science in Support of the Blue Economy
The blue economy, which refers to the traditional sectors of fisheries, coastal tourism and shipping, is rapidly expanding to include emerging industries such as marine aquaculture, sustainable renewable ocean energy and marine biotechnology (medicine, cosmetics and marine agro-products). According to a recent OECD Ocean Economic outlook, the blue economy is forecast to generate as much as US 3trillion dollars by 2030. What does this mean for our current workforce in Trinidad and Tobago...
Republic Bank and IMA Partner to Launch Blue Technologies Awareness Project to Advance the Blue Economy
On 30 September 2025, Republic Bank Limited (RBL), through its Power-to-Make-A-Difference Initiative, partnered with the Institute of Marine Affairs (IMA) in finalising a significant partnership marked by a ceremonial signing of the Blue Technologies Awareness Project. The ceremonial signing highlighted a high-level seminar themed, ‘Ocean-Based Climate Action in Support of Blue Economy Advancement in Trinidad and Tobago and the Wider Caribbean Region – 2025’, which was held at the Arthur Lok Jack Global School of Business, Mount Hope. The Blue Technologies Awareness Project theme, ‘Empowering the Blue Economy with Smart Technologies’, aims to expose the national community to the integral role of smart technologies in...
Trinidad and Tobago Welcomes Donation of Sargassum Equipment from the Government of Japan
On Tuesday 19 August 2025, the Institute of Marine Affairs (IMA) proudly joined the official handover ceremony of sargassum equipment donated by His Excellency Dr. Akima Umezawa, Ambassador of the Embassy of Japan to the Ministry of Rural Development and Local Government. The ceremony marked the official handover of keys to two specialised tractors, procured under the Project for Improving National Sargassum Management Capacities in the Caribbean. The aim of this Project, funded by the Government of Japan and implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), is to support and enhance national capacity for the management of sargassum influxes with the provision of...
New IMA Publication Explores Coral Reefs of Trinidad and Tobago
Scarborough, Tobago- The Institute of Marine Affairs (IMA) on Tuesday (June 10th 2025) officially launched its most recent publication titled, ‘Coral Reefs of Trinidad and Tobago’ at the Shaw Park Complex in Scarborough, Tobago. Authored by the Institute’s Senior Research Officer, Dr. Anjani Ganase, the publication is the second edition to its predecessor titled, ‘A Guide to the Coral Reefs of Tobago’, which was authored by the IMA Coral Scientist, Mr. Richard Laydoo in 1991. The book provides an in-depth exploration of coral reefs in mainly Tobago and in Trinidad. It includes primary information on the ecology and biology of local coral reefs and their...
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...
Curbing Biodiversity Loss
If I asked you to name all the living creatures you know, I am sure it would take you a couple minutes to come up with a list of several hundred, starting with your house plants, pets, to livestock and the things you may see every day like the trees in the green areas you regularly traverse. These all make up biodiversity. But, if I were to ask how many species make up the entire planet, then the answer gets more complicated. There is no definitive answer as to the exact number of species found on planet Earth. Even the best estimates vary significantly...
Leading the Blue Carbon Revolution in T&T
Combatting climate change is at the top of Dr. Rahanna Juman’s agenda. The Deputy Director of Research Institute of Marine Affairs (IMA) is the technical lead on piloting a Blue Carbon Credit Scheme for T&T. The collaborative project between the IMA and Inter-American Development Bank aims to design a high-quality blue carbon credit scheme to improve the digital mapping, monitoring, reporting, and verification of ecosystem services, promote management and ownership of natural capital, and create a practical opportunity for livelihoods enhancements and revenue generation. Marine ecosystems, particularly tidal marshes, seagrass beds, and mangroves forests, absorb (sequester) and store carbon within biomass and soils. Photo courtesy: Unsplash Commonly referred to...
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...