TORTOLA, Virgin Islands — The Centre for Applied Marine Studies (CAMS) at the H. Lavity Stoutt Community College (HLSCC) has marked World Oceans Day 2026 by sharing the findings of a pioneering marine plastic tracking study with students across the Virgin Islands, an initiative believed to be the first of its kind in the Caribbean.
Observed annually on June 8, World Oceans Day serves as a global reminder of the importance of protecting the world’s oceans and marine ecosystems. This year, HLSCC’s observance moved beyond awareness campaigns and classroom discussions, providing students with real-world scientific data and a firsthand look at how plastic pollution travels across international waters.
The study was conducted under CAMS’ Ocean Technology Pilot Project, launched in 2025 with funding from the United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) through the UK Future Fund. The programme aims to combine marine science, technology and environmental education, giving Virgin Islands students practical experience in STEM-related fields.
Students from the Claudia Creque Educational Centre, Jost Van Dyke Primary School, and the Elmore Stoutt High School Robotics Club played a central role in the project by deploying specially designed “smart bottles” into local waters during World Oceans Day 2025.
The innovative devices, equipped with GPS and satellite tracking technology, were designed to mimic the movement of discarded single-use plastic bottles. By drifting with ocean currents, winds and waves, the devices provided valuable insight into the routes plastic waste can travel once it enters the marine environment.
“This project brings science to life,” said CAMS Director Susan Zaluski. “These devices collect real data and tell a story—how far our plastic waste can travel, its impact on marine ecosystems, and why our actions at home matter globally.”
The results revealed remarkable journeys across the Caribbean and beyond.
One smart bottle, deployed in the Sir Francis Drake Channel by members of the Elmore Stoutt High School Robotics Club, travelled more than 1,000 kilometres. Its path carried it past the U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico and Hispaniola before eventually reaching Crooked Island in the Bahamas.
Another device launched near Jost Van Dyke followed a similar route before becoming trapped in circular ocean currents near the Turks and Caicos Islands during Hurricane Erin in August 2025. The tracker later appeared inland in eastern Cuba, suggesting possible human interaction before its signal disappeared.
A third device deployed from Anegada transmitted data for only ten days, but researchers say the information collected provided important insight into how plastic debris can become trapped within floating sargassum seaweed mats.
According to Alasdair Davies, founder of the UK-based Arribada Initiative, which developed the tracking technology, each device offered a unique perspective on the movement of marine pollution.
“Each bottle tells a different story,” Davies explained. “Together, they help us understand how plastic moves across oceans and how interconnected our marine environments truly are.”
The technology used in the project was originally developed to track sea turtles and other marine wildlife. Researchers adapted the devices to monitor plastic waste, demonstrating how conservation technologies can be repurposed to address broader environmental challenges.
Beyond its scientific value, the project has also served as an important educational tool, introducing students to marine science, data analysis and emerging technologies. CAMS officials said the initiative has inspired greater interest in STEM education while fostering environmental awareness among young people.
“This initiative expanded to be more than just a marine science project,” said Nia Jeffers, Coastal Resilience Programme Coordinator at CAMS. “It developed into engaging our students in STEM, citizen science and global environmental responsibility. These are the future engineers, conservationists and innovators of the Virgin Islands.”
The programme also encouraged civic engagement through a “Message in a Bottle” campaign, which invited students to write letters to government officials and community leaders expressing their concerns about marine pollution and environmental protection. Responses from stakeholders were later returned to participating students, reinforcing the value of youth voices in public policy discussions.
As HLSCC commemorates World Oceans Day 2026, CAMS says it remains committed to advancing marine education, sustainability and scientific innovation throughout the Territory.
The Ocean Technology Pilot Project represents a significant step forward for the Virgin Islands, demonstrating how technology, education and environmental stewardship can come together to prepare the next generation to protect the ocean that surrounds and sustains the Territory.