During 2023, hundreds of students were welcomed to CCMI’s Little Cayman research station. With great success, achieving groundbreaking research and fundraising records. Promising an exciting 2024 ahead with continued progress in sustainability and environmental protection for the cherished marine ecosystems in the Cayman Islands.
Blue Carbon Offset & Biodiversity
January 2024 marked the official launch of CCMI’s Blue Carbon Offset and Biodiversity Programme, a three-year project supported by Butterfield to explore blue carbon offset initiatives.
Educational Initiatives
CCMI endeavours to inspire the next generation of marine enthusiasts through scholarships and other hands-on courses, including the Young Environmentalist Leadership Course and Ocean Science Scholar Internships. It also offers fascinating initiatives such as Reefs Go Live.¨Our Physical Ocean,” presented in March this year, offers a fascinating interactive livestream to explore Cayman’s marine wonders, including coral reproduction and more.
Additionally, you can join CCMI’s Reef Relief Squad, which is dedicated to conserving Cayman’s coral reefs. The mission of such programs is to ignite a passion for marine science among Caymans’ youth and develop the future ocean stewards of these islands through educational initiatives.
Research & Conservation
CCMI continues to pioneer new research for the future of our coral reefs, leading the way in conserving Cayman’s marine environment. This includes research into coral bleaching, exploring Cayman’s uncharted waters, such as Pickle Bank North of Little Cayman, and studying the effects of climate change, among other programs.
Additionally, CCMI has been investigating the role of Sea Cucumbers’ in Coral Reef health, which is another fascinating project funded by the UK Government’s Darwin Plus Programme,
Their innovative and groundbreaking research is vital for preserving Cayman’s marine life and environment and will include new opportunities in research and scientific publications as the year passes.
Coral Restoration
CCMI also released a handbook summarising research on coral genotypes’ response to bleaching and disease, available on their website. Efforts are ongoing to restock CCMI’s coral nursery after the 2023 bleaching event, funded by RESEMBID, Dart, The AALL Foundation, Disney, and the Ernest Kleinwort Charitable Trust.
In June 2024, CCMI will unveil findings from their 2023 Healthy Reefs surveys, revealing the impact of prolonged ocean warming and coral bleaching on Caribbean coral reefs.
Fundraising Campaigns: Coral Conservation
June 7th, World Ocean Day 2024 – Corals in a Changing Climate: A dive into the future of Coral Reefs is an opportunity to support CMMI and help them double the impact of the vital work to protect Cayman’s oceans, coral reefs, and marine life. Every donation will fund scholarships, marine education, and research to build on past success for a sustainable future.
Watch their social media channels for more details about upcoming events. Or you can learn more about CCMI’s mission for vibrant oceans and healthy coral reefs.