“Transplanting healthy reef ecosystems to damaged reefs can improve coral health” 2Jan2025

Posted on January 2, 2025 by admin

So reads the title for an article by by Bar-Ilan University in phys.org, Nov 26, 2024. It  offers some hopeful news going forward at the beginning of 2025 for Barbados  where there are both healthy and degraded reefs and a lot of practical experience involving both volunteers and researchers with growing and transplanting corals.

The article continues …”The study, just published in the journal Nature Communications, was led by Dr. Natalie Levy and Prof. Oren Levy from Bar-Ilan University’s Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, in collaboration with Prof. Ezri Tarazi of the Technion—Israel Institute of Technology, and Prof. David Bourne of James Cook University and the Australian Institute of Marine Science. Continue reading →

Posted in Acroporoids, Barbados, Extreme Warming/Coral Bleaching, Reef Health, Reef restoration | Leave a comment

Loss of fishing boats to Hurricane Beryl affecting demand for chicken in Barbados 11Oct2024

Posted on October 11, 2024 by admin

In Barbados Today, today: Officials say fish shortage driving increased demand for chicken. Some extracts:

On Thursday, BEPPA board director Amir Juman said there were two main factors impacting the industry, which resulted in consumers being unable to source the quantity of fresh chicken they usually would at supermarkets and other outlets. He explained that there had been a significant increase in demand for chicken over the past weeks as hundreds of protein lovers sought alternatives to fish which has been scarce since Hurricane Beryl affected the island’s fishing fleet…

In July, Hurricane Beryl destroyed 220 of the 312 active boats at the Bridgetown Fisheries Complex, the island’s largest fish landing site. This has left Barbados reliant on limited cold-stored fish and the small number of boats still able to venture out for fresh catches.

Continue reading →

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Barbados unveils “the world’s first vehicle powered by renewable natural gas (RNG) from Sargassum seaweed, rum distillery wastewater and Blackbelly sheep manure” 18Sep2024

Posted on September 18, 2024 by admin

This story has been brewing for a while, perhaps since the first waves of Sargassum hit the coast of Barbados!

Yesterday (Sep 17), in a post on its Facebook Page, the University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus posted this, with an accompanying video:

Barbados on Tuesday unveiled the world’s first vehicle powered by renewable natural gas (RNG) from Sargassum seaweed, rum distillery wastewater and Blackbelly sheep manure, and The UWI Cave Hill Campus came in for high praise for its pioneering role in this renewable energy project.
Continue reading →

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Sargassum Outlook 1Aug to 31Oct 2024 Severe

Posted on August 11, 2024 by admin

“Middle islands: Severe influxes and heavy coastal accumulations are expected over the next three months.”

Read more in the Sargassum Sub-regional Outlook Bulletin by the Sargassum Team at The Centre for Resource Management and Environmental Studies (CERMES) at the Cave Hill Campus of The University of the West Indies, Barbados.

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“Extremely Dangerous Hurricane Beryl in the Southern Caribbean” 1Jul2024

Posted on July 1, 2024 by David Patriquin

“Extremely Dangerous” Hurricane Beryl in the Southern Caribbean
In www.caribjournal.com, by  Caribbean Journal Staff – June 30, 2024

“A “major” hurricane is at the edge of the Southern Caribbean right now: Hurricane Beryl. The storm was an “extremely dangerous” Category 4 hurricane when it reached the southeastern Caribbean Monday morning {July 1] , according to the NOAA…

“Right now, a Hurricane Warning is in effect for Barbados, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Grenada and Tobago.”

View List of Barbados hurricanes (1950 to present), on Wikipedia

Update, Aug 11, 2024:

From www.reliefweb.int July 6, 2024:

On 25 June, the National Hurricane Centre began monitoring a tropical wave with the potential for development that was moving westward. By 28 June, already transformed into Tropical Depression 2 (system AL95), it began to intensify due to atmospheric conditions and officially became Tropical Storm Beryl.

The final conditions for it to become a hurricane occurred on 29 June, making it the first major hurricane of the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season and the earliest Category 4 hurricane to form in recorded history, on 30 June. By 1 July, it became a Category 5 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 270 km/h. 
Continue reading →

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Barbados Marine Spatial Plan process (BMSP) seeking feedback 22Jun2024

Posted on June 22, 2024 by David Patriquin

On the Barbados Marine Spatial Plan Facebook Page, posted June 18, 2024:

Barbados, we’d love your feedback!

We’re calling on you to add your voice to the marine spatial planning process by taking our brief survey, which will help us to chart a sustainable course for the future management of our marine space.
Continue reading →

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CERMES: Sargassum outlook moderate 1 June – 1 September 2024

Posted on June 7, 2024 by David Patriquin

“Middle islands: Moderate influxes are expected to continue during June with a reduction in July and August.” That is a bit of a downgrade from the previous forecast.
Continue reading →

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New initiative to preserve and protect island’s coral reefs 6Jun2024

Posted on June 6, 2024 by David Patriquin

The Folkestone Park and Marine Reserve hosted an Open Day Wednesday, June 5, in celebration of World Environment Day and Oceans Day.

View YouTube Video: Push to preserve and protect island’s coral reefs in which Acting Manager of Folkestone Marine Park and Reserve Carlos Gilkes tells CBC News about an initiative in the works to help preserve and restore the island’s coral reefs and improve fish stocks. Also view article “Restore” in Barbados Today.

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Recent AGRRA Webinars examine Coral Bleaching, Invasive Soft Coral, Restoration Efforts, Acropora Heat Mortality 6Jun2024

Posted on June 6, 2024 by David Patriquin

The Atlantic and Gulf Rapid Reef Assessment (AGRRA) website at www.agrra.org offers a large suite of educational materials and regional databases/interactive maps related to coral reefs in the Caribbean. A few of the resources are highlighted below.

Cited as New Webinars at aggra.org/RESOURCES/webinars:

– Lessons Learned from the 2023 Caribbean Bleaching Event and Preparing for 2024 – CCT May 13, 2024
On YouTube | Presentation Slide Deck (PDF)
“As NOAA announces the fourth global bleaching event, restoration practitioners, scientists and reef managers across the Caribbean and Florida are assessing the actions they took to respond to the 2023 thermal event and planning for the possibility of similar conditions in 2024. On May 13th from Noon-1:30 pm EST, practitioners across the region discussed actions that were implemented, and the lessons learned that could help inform future responses…”
Continue reading →

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CERMES: Sargassum outlook severe 29Apr to 30Jul2024

Posted on June 2, 2024 by David Patriquin

“Middle islands: Moderate to severe influxes are expected over the next 2 months with severe accumulations in July.”

Read more in the Sargassum Sub-regional Outlook Bulletin by the Sargassum Team at The Centre for Resource Management and Environmental Studies (CERMES) at the Cave Hill Campus of The University of the West Indies, Barbados.

The “Middle Islands” include Barbados.

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