Marking a pivotal turning point in over three decades of Caribbean conservation, the Puntacana Foundation has officially inaugurated the Marine Innovation Center (CIM). The facility, located in Playa Blanca, aims to move beyond traditional conservation by integrating machine learning and molecular biology to combat the rapid decline of coral reefs.
The inauguration, held on Earth Day, 22 April 2026, was attended by key environmental and government figures, including Minister of Environment Armando Paíno Henríquez. The center serves as the primary anchor for the Dominican Republic’s Marine Innovation Hub, a national collaborative platform involving the Dominican Foundation for Marine Studies (Fundemar) and The Nature Conservancy (TNC).
At the heart of the CIM is a specialized laboratory currently equipped with 32 tanks, expandable to 64, that is designed to transition research directly into the adjacent marine sanctuary.
Unlike traditional restoration, which often relies on harvesting fragments from already weakened natural reefs, the CIM focuses on:
• Assisted evolution: Developing coral strains more resilient to rising ocean temperatures.
• Sexual reproduction: Increasing genetic diversity through laboratory-reared larvae.
• Machine learning: Utilizing AI for real-time monitoring of reef health and disease detection.
“What the Marine Innovation Center provides is a more robust platform, with better tools, more partners, and greater reach,” said Jake Kheel, vice president of Puntacana Foundation. He emphasized that by placing the facility in one of the Caribbean’s most visited destinations, the foundation hopes to make the stakes of coral loss visible to the general public.
A collaborative model
The project is a strategic alignment between the private sector and scientific institutions. Funded by Grupo Puntacana, Oceankind, and private donors, the center works in tandem with Fundemar’s existing laboratory in nearby Bayahibe to create a scalable restoration model for the region.
During the inauguration, Rob Brumbaugh of The Nature Conservancy noted that the center demonstrates how science and private leadership can align to move “beyond small, isolated projects” toward climate-focused solutions that can be replicated across the Caribbean.
In its continued public engagement, the CIM is set to open a permanent interactive exhibition this summer to educate tourists and locals alike.
Read more in Spanish
Puntacana
5 May 2026