Moorings News

Doctoral candidate Kim Baldwin, a marine researcher at the University of West Indies Center for Resource Management and Environmental Studies, embarked on a three-week field mission this summer aboard a donated Moorings catamaran in the Grenadine Islands. Baldwin is working to identify areas within the Grenadines that may require special management status as a way to better protect the fragile and economically important ecosystem. Her project, the Grenadines Marine Resource Space-Use Information System, began in 2006.

Identify Critical Marine Resources

Baldwin and her crew sailed a Moorings catamaran from The Moorings base in Canouan, in the heart of the Grenadines, all over the archipelago, which is comprised of 32 islands and cays stretching about 75 miles between St. Vincent and Grenada. The islands perch atop the shallow Grenada Bank with depths of just 160 feet in most locations, making the bank a thriving habitat for marine life. The field trip objective was to identify and map critical marine resources such as reefs, sea grasses, and mangroves for possible conservation efforts.

“The Moorings was proud to support Kim in her attempts to gather data about critical marine habitats in the Grenadines,” says Cheryl Powell, chief operating officer for The Moorings. “Marine-based activities are the mainstay of the economy in this region, and we want to help preserve the integrity of these waters.”

Biodiversity and Conservation

The data Baldwin collected highlights areas of importance for biodiversity and conservation, as well as for the livelihoods of the Grenadine communities. The fieldwork last summer was successful, Baldwin says.

“We are proud that we have been able to support this initiative as part of our strategy to raise environmental awareness and minimize our impact on our surroundings,” says Cheryl. “This project will give us a good understanding of the different types of marine life and their locations so that it can be protected and preserved for future generations.”

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