Little Inagua Rapid Ecological Assessment

P7120204-1

D/Y Awatea
Little Inagua, Bahamas
July 7-19, 2024

Program Overview

This expedition was conducted with the goal of characterizing the diverse ecosystems of Little Inagua. Thanks to DISCOVERY Yacht Awatea, this team of researchers from the Perry Institute for Marine Science (PIMS) and the Bahamas National Trust (BNT) were able to make it to Little Inagua, the largest uninhabited Bahamian island. The ecosystems here ahve not been surveyed in over a decade, due to its lack of easy accessibility. Through partnership with the International SeaKeepers Society, scientists could conduct biodiversity surveys for a wide variety of organisms including fish, invertebrates, corals, seagrasses, and more. This project also enabled Bahamas National Trust researchers to gain access to the land in search of unique plant specimens that are not found elsewhere in The Bahamas.

Application

This work has been highly useful in informing the next decade of conservation efforts and management practices throughout this region of The Bahamas.

Expedition Summary

This Expedition was extremely successful in its goal. Researchers were able to scout 25 sites, surveying 13 reefs and 4 seagrass beds. To read more, head over to the blog posted by PIMS.

Location

Little Inagua, Bahamas

Duration of Project

13 Days

Research Team

  • Dr. Krista Sherman
  • Dr. Valeria Pizarro
  • Natalia Hurtado
  • Maya Gomez
  • Candice Brittain
  • Lindy Knowles
  • Dr. Ethan Fried
  • Mark Daniels

Photo Gallery

This slideshow requires JavaScript.