IAEA designates first collaborating centre in Cuba for coastal and marine health issues

Cuba already works closely with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) through the Cienfuegos Environmental Studies Centre (CEAC), which uses nuclear and isotopic techniques to manage Cuba's fragile marine environment more effectively.

This new centre, with which it has a five-year agreement, will strengthen collaboration and study, using the same techniques, marine-coastal ecosystems, harmful algal blooms, ocean acidification, and carbon sequestration in the Latin America and Caribbean region. In addition, the capacity of countries to put nuclear means and techniques at the service of regional marine monitoring, strengthening seafood safety programmes, and building resilience in coastal communities will be enhanced.

Under the agreed work plan, the ECAC will analyse contaminants, assess the impact of microplastic pollution, and, using polonium-210 and caesium-137, date cores of sedimentary material to determine carbon sequestration rates in marine sediments. It will also carry out field studies to better understand the occurrence of biotoxins, harmful algal bloom,s and eutrophication processes in aquatic ecosystems.

Collecting data on these issues is crucial to ensure the conservation and safety of seafood stocks.

Source: Original news story - IAEA