Recent Submissions

  • Preliminary Assessment of the Ecological Status of Godineau Swamp: Establishing a Socio-Economic Baseline

    Clarke-Marshall, M.; Ghouralal, N.; Institute of Marine Affairs (2006)
    Human activities adjacent to and within a wetland, influence its ecological status. An understanding of the social and economic conditions in the communities within and adjacent to the Godineau Swamp is fundamental to its sustainable use. The effective functioning of wetland resources is centered on the sustainable management of human activities and traditional uses. The Godineau Swamp is the second largest wetland system found on the Gulf of Paria of Trinidad. Traditionally the wetland has supported a fish and shellfish industry and provided land for agriculture livestock farming and housing. Oil exploration has taken place in the Godineau Swamp for the last fifty years and the Swamp continues to provide several opportunities for ecotourism.
  • Distribution and Abundance of Finfish in Godineau Swamp

    Ramsundar, H.; Institute of Marine Affairs (2002)
    The Godineau Swamp is home to several species of plants, wildlife, fish and waterfowl, including our protected Scarlet Ibis. It has been heavily influenced by anthropogenic activities and probably needs careful regulation of its development in order to obtain the maximum benefits from the swamp without destroying it. The Fisheries component of the Godineau Swamp Research Project aims to document the fish species that live in the swamp, their relative distribution and abundance and characterize the fishing practices in the area. The first phase has been completed and the second phase, characterisation of the fishing practices, is carded to begin in mid- November. The whole Godineau Research project is directed at assessing the ecology of the swamp in its present state in order to come up with management options for the area that would allow for sustainable development.
  • Laws protecting Godineau

    Institute of Marine Affairs (2006)
  • An assessment of Trinidad and Tobago's Marine Surveillance Capability for protecting the Marine Environment and its Resources

    Rambath-Parasram, V.; Institute of Marine Affairs (2003)
    Trinidad and Tobago has declared various maritime zones consistent with the provisions of the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. The uses of these zones are extensive ranging from trade-related to recreational activities. Monitoring such a wide range of users is a challenge for many States and requires a comprehensive regulatory regime capable of empowering the relevant authorities with the means for its effective implementation. While the domestic legal and institutional framework governing marine environmental protection and conservation lags far behind that of the international arena, thereby rendering many of the applicable international laws non-operational, there are various institutions that are involved in protecting and conserving the marine environment as part of their general mandate. These institutions include the Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard, Fisheries Division of the Ministry of Agriculture, Maritime Services Division of the Ministry of Works and Transport and the Marine Interdiction Unit, Customs Division of the Ministry of Finance. This poster presents a critical analysis of the roles and functions of the various institutions involved in marine surveillance and legislation prescribing their respective powers. General recommendations for improving the existing legal and regulatory regime are outlined.
  • Investigation of Pollution from Land Based Sources and Activities and their Impacts on the Marine Environment: the Caroni River Basin

    Gabbadon, P.; Banjoo, D.; Bullock, C.; Norville, W.; Sookbir, S.; LLoyd, G.; Ragbirsingh, Y.; Juman, R.; Chin, X.; de Souza, G.; et al. (2006)
    "The Institute of Marine Affairs (IMA) is investigating the impacts of pollution from land-based sources and activities of the Caroni River Basin (CRB) on the marine environment... The project will investigate the types, sources, levels of pollution, fate of pollutants, and potential impacts on the marine environment. In addition, the project will investigate the impacts of physical alterations of habitats caused by land uses in the Caroni River Basin."
  • Using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to describe the community from Ortoire to Guayaguayare: Site description and vessel migration

    Kishore, R.; Padmanabhan, S.; Ramsundar, H.; Institute of Marine Affairs (2006)
    The assessment of the fishing industry on the southeast coast of Trinidad is taken from the regionally funded community-based coastal resource management project by the International Research Development Centre (IDRC) of Canada and entitled “An investigation of fisheries resources, resource users and fisheries management by communities to establish a framework for co-management: Ortoire to Guayaguayare, East Coast, Trinidad.” Part of this assessment was clearly describing the areas and communities where regular fishing activities take place and identifying any discernable patterns and trends.