1 October 2026
On September 23, a group of students from the environmental education workshop at Santa Bernardita School visited the IFOP facility in Talcahuano.
During the visit, the students had the opportunity to experience laboratory work, examine various fish species and learn to distinguish between them, identify their maturity stages, and perform gonad extraction to determine the sex of the specimens. Furthermore, they gained firsthand insight into the work IFOP professionals carry out while at sea, understanding how this scientific data is crucial for supporting decision-making regarding the management and conservation of fishery resources—such as establishing fishing bans and other protective measures. “Without a doubt, my students are taking away a tremendous experience, new knowledge, and a much closer look at marine-related scientific work,” noted teacher Catalina Reyes.
Isidora, a student from class 3rd Year High School B, highlighted “the attention we received; the staff were very kind and answered our questions with great patience. I was able to improve my understanding of the concepts and materials used, and I learned about IFOP’s role and importance in managing various aquatic biological resources. I am very grateful for opportunities like this, which are essential—especially since our school does not have laboratories where we could access these kinds of experiences.”
For her part, Catalina Reyes Cárcamo, the Environmental Education Extracurricular Workshop instructor, thanked “IFOP for opening the doors to their offices and laboratories, allowing my workshop students to see firsthand the important work their professionals do and their direct contribution to scientific research and the sustainable management of our fishery resources.”
Sergio Flores Claramunt, IFOP’s Regional Director for Biobío, highlighted “the importance of sharing our institutional work with the general public; however, it is always special to do so with your neighbors—and even more so when future generations are involved.”
