During the month of the Sea, Fonck Museum invites you to learn about sharks and albatrosses on “ Scientific Culture Fridays”
May 3rd, 2024Two professionals from Fisheries Development Institute, IFOP dedicated to marine animal research, will present scientific dialogues during this month of the sea in 2024 cycle of “ Scientific Culture Fridays” – Fonck Museum VCC, financed by Ministry of Cultures , Arts and Heritage through its Support for Collaborating Cultural Organizations Program .
“Scientific Culture Fridays” in May at Fonck Museum invite you to celebrate, discuss and learn about the sea, the oceans, their ecosystems and species, through 2 talks that will take place on May 3rd and 10th, 2024. at 6:00 p.m. in the museum premises, located at 4 Norte 784, corner with 1 Oriente, Viña del Mar. It should be noted that all VCCs have an Interpreter in Chilean Sign Language.
In Chile the Month of the Sea, is celebrated every May, is a period in which emphasis is placed on the Pacific Ocean’s relevance for the population and country’s growth. That is why there will be a Fisheries Development Institute (IFOP) researcher who will lead these two interesting dialogues in which we will be able to learn about biology, ecology, conservation, different types of fish, sharks, and some incredible seabirds: petrels and albatrosses.
In this initiative, financed by the Ministry of Cultures, Arts and Heritage through its Support for Collaborating Cultural Organizations Program, these talks will be held, a space for conversation that invites us to learn more about these marine animals, their ecosystems and the dangers they face due to human impact.
Sharks of Chile and the world: one of the oldest animals on the planet
On Friday, May 3rd, 2024, a VCC session will be led by Naití Morales Serrano, Marine Biologist, PhD in Ecology and Applied Biology and IFOP researcher. She has dedicated her career to sharks and rays research in Chile, investigating their biodiversity, reproductive biology, feeding behavior, and migratory patterns. All with the objective of obtaining relevant knowledge that can be used to generate better fishing regulations and to establish management and conservation plans.
She invites us to know, discover and learn more about species of sharks that we can find in the Chilean sea.
Seabirds that are sentinels of the sea, progress and challenges for their conservation
On Friday, May 10th, 2024, it will be Luis Adasme Martínez turn, IFOP Researcher, Master in Aquatic Resources Management and official member of Chile for Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels Agreement (ACAP).
This marine sciences professional has extensive experience in research work and data analysis in fisheries in the south southern part of the country. Since 2010, his work has been oriented towards research in fisheries biology and population dynamics of demersal fish, with interest in problems associated with the bycatch of seabirds in an ecosystemic-based environment. A call to discuss and learn about these high sea birds and their conservation.
Figuring out the oceans mysteries through sharks and seabirds
Thanks to “Scientific Culture Fridays ” during May at Fonck Museum, it will be possible to understand the oceans mysteries, of which it is estimated that humanity has studied less than 5%.
“Most sharks are considered clumsy predators, since being at the food chain top they regulate their prey’s abundance and distribution, so their persistence is of vital importance for ecosystems health. Their populationse rapid deterioration, mainly due to their habitat ‘s destruction and, above all, overfishing, added to sharks vulnerable nature (few offspring, long gestation periods and late maturation) have caused a decline of up to 70%. in some shark populations.”, commented Naití Morales.
Meanwhile, Luis Adasme, pointed out that “my interest in studying seabirds was born many years ago. First, these large seabirds such as albatrosses always caught my attention. I remember that the first scientific name I learned when I was just a teenager was that of Diomedea exulans the wandering albatross or traveling albatross, where the story of that name comes from Greek mythology.”
Fonck Museum is part of Cultural Organizations Collaborating Support Program for Ministry of Cultures, Arts and Heritage, which seeks to strengthen and provide continuity to private and non-profit cultural institutions and organizations. This program is also part of Organizations and Cultural Infrastructure of the Ministry of Cultures, Arts and Heritage Financing System for that integrates, articulates and coordinates in a transversal way plans, programs and funds aimed at organizations promotion and support, cultural infrastructure, and artistic mediation. All this with a decentralized vocation, participatory mechanisms, and networks and associations creation promotion .
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