On Sunday 27 September 2026, the PROMAR Team took part in the 15th Annual T&T BioBlitz, held at Matura Secondary School. The event was hosted by the Trinidad and Tobago Field Naturalists' Club (TTFNC) and the University of the West Indies' Department of Life Sciences, and gave the Prevention of Marine Litter in the Caribbean Sea (PROMAR) Project a valuable platform to reach nature lovers, families and members of the public.

 

A BioBlitz is a community science event in which participants work together to identify and document as many species of plants, animals and other organisms as possible within a specific area and time period. The activity promotes biodiversity awareness, environmental education and public participation in scientific observation and conservation.

 

The PROMAR Team, made up of Keith Bartholomew, Aliesha Dennie and Anastacia Auguste, used the occasion to share information on marine and coastal issues relevant to Trinidad and Tobago. In total, 101 people were engaged during the event. The team brought the message to life through marine-themed quizzes, games and a puzzle challenge, while also sharing information about PROMAR and its work and answering questions from visitors. These interactive activities offered an accessible way for people of all ages to learn about the marine environment and the threats it faces.

 

The event also helped raise public awareness of marine litter prevention, coastal protection and the importance of safeguarding Trinidad and Tobago's marine environment. By connecting with audiences who already care about biodiversity, PROMAR was able to highlight how plastic pollution and marine litter affect the species and habitats that events like the BioBlitz aim to celebrate and protect.

 

Through its participation in community events like the BioBlitz, PROMAR Trinidad and Tobago continues to expand its public outreach, build environmental awareness and encourage practical action to prevent marine litter across the country's coastal and marine ecosystems.