Cayman: Local education programmes thrive and research progresses at CCMI
Local Scholarship-Funded Education Continues, Research Update & Looking Ahead
Due to the very minimal presence of Covid-19 in the Cayman Islands, restrictions have been largely lifted, allowing our team to execute some of our core programming in research, education and outreach. There is still a shortfall in our normal operations as international research collaborators and visiting education programmes have been impacted through early 2021; however, we remain positive on the whole and have many exciting programmes on the horizon. Please read on below.
Scholarships Support Local Education
This summer, CCMI hosted two week-long Caribbean Marine Ecology Camp (CMEC) sessions for local students, supported by the R3 Cayman Foundation and the Edmund F. and Virginia B. Ball Foundation. Ocean Science Scholarships fully funded the experience for 13 students and provided additional support for local interns.
Jovian, one of the Ocean Science Scholars had this to say about the experience, “(The course) changes how you look at the world and how much humans have affected it.”
We’re excited that the 2020 Young Environmentalist Leadership Course is under way! We have six students from Grand Cayman participating and one student from Cayman Brac. Two Ocean Science Scholars who participated in the CMEC were also admitted as YELC participants. The students are all currently undertaking scuba training in preparation for their trip to the Little Cayman Research Centre November 29 – December 4.
CCMI is grateful for the support of Go Pro Cayman Diving, Reef Divers Cayman Brac, Foster’s and Cayman National Bank in making this programme possible.
We are also thrilled to announce that two lucky Year 6 classes from Creek & Spot Bay Primary School on Cayman Brac and Sir John A Cumber Primary School on Grand Cayman have been selected as the recipients of a fully-funded Marine Ecology Course experience in Little Cayman this December, generously sponsored by the Boda Charitable Trust. Students will fly to Little Cayman and spend three days and two nights learning about coral reef ecosystems at the Little Cayman Research Centre. We had many deserving applicants this year and will be planning one-day in-school experiences for all of the other classes who applied.
Research Update
CCMI’s research initiatives have continued apace this year, with field work taking place on all three Cayman Islands. CCMI’s team has conducted our annual fish and coral surveys around Little Cayman as well as “Quiet Ocean” fish surveys on Grand Cayman and Little Cayman. Data from these surveys will contribute to long-term analysis and understanding of our reef health state and the impact of humans on our reefs. Our coral restoration work continues, as our staff monitor, measure, maintain and characterize experimental coral outplants and coral fragments in our nursery setting. In October, the team observed 89% average survival of staghorn coral outplants on the experimental coral dome structures that were installed in the spring. Dr. Gretchen Goodbody-Gringley has also assisted the Cayman Islands Department of Environment with surveying and sampling coral from Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac and Little Cayman for analysis related to the arrival of Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease on Grand Cayman.
Reef Lecture Series
We’re happy to end the year with a live, in-person Reef Lecture on Tuesday, 10 November at the National Gallery of the Cayman Islands. Join CCMI’s Director of Research, Dr Gretchen Goodbody-Gringley for a discussion of results from our past restoration studies and a new outlook for development of resilient coral populations through advanced restoration techniques that will shape the future of coral reefs in the Cayman Islands. Registration is free, but space is limited. RESERVE YOUR TICKET.
For those of you that are unable to join us, this lecture will be recorded and made available on our YouTube channel and website.
Watch our most recent Reef Lecture:Cuba’s Hidden Treasures
Learn about the unprecedented partnership between U.S. and Cuban scientists that studied these reefs and how they combined resources and training from their respective countries to present a holistic and technologically innovative view into this ‘crown jewel’ reef system of the northern Caribbean. About the speaker:Dr. Amy Apprill leads the Microbial Ecology for Ocean Conservation research laboratory at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI). In 2019, CCMI was awarded a grant from the US National Science Foundation, in collaboration with WHOI. Dr. Amy Apprill (WHOI) and Dr. Carrie Manfrino (CCMI) are co-principal investigators on this grant, which will further explore the importance of the coral microbiome.
Year-End Fundraising
Throughout this challenging year, CCMI’s focus has never wavered. We remain committed to protecting coral reefs. This year, CCMI lost 20% of its revenue due to the cancellation of international university courses hosted at CCMI as a result of the impacts of Covid-19. With many travel restrictions still in place, 2021 is uncertain for when we will return to normal levels of programming and operations. As most of our supporters are unable to attend an in-person event this year, or visit the field station, we are asking for your support via online donation. For our final fundraising push this year, we ask you to help ensure we can continue to deliver on our research and outreach efforts into 2021.
Donations made through THIS SITE will support CCMI’s operations, strengthen our domestic science education and research programmes, and help to modify our facilities, which will allow us to improve health, hygiene, and safety for students and scientists. Your support will also allow us to face new opportunities and challenges, allowing our experts to respond quickly to the most immediate, important issues facing our coral reefs locally – without hesitation.
Our Board
As the rapid loss of global biodiversity accelerates and protecting the marine environment becomes increasingly more important, the board at CCMI has evolved to ensure the organization can continue to progress their work, understanding which coral reef species can be resilient for the future. The current board at CCMI includes new and seasoned members, with a collective intent to embrace ethical and accountable management and governance, to support the team at CCMI and their stakeholders. With a range of skills, the board has been formed to well-equip CCMI in a world of change and uncertainty, to support Vision 2025 and to protect coral reefs for the future. Learn more about CCMI’s board HERE.
