IFOP workers participated in dissemination activities of Quellón and Melinka Ports institutional work
October 29th, 2023
During October, researchers, coordinators, and scientific observers of the Monitoring Program for main benthic fisheries and Larval Monitoring Program for mytilids carried out various dissemination actions, among which stand out; workshops participation, radio interviews, talks at schools in the area and negotiations with local municipality to participate in the V version of Melinka town hedgehog festival. All this with the support of colleagues Andrea Ruiz and Lorena González from the Guaitecas artisanal fishing office.
The first activity consisted of showing IFOP’s work in Quellón port, for this institutional and specific benthic monitoring program presentations were made in a workshop organized by the groups that make up the “ECMPO Wafo Wapi” that were in charge of Ancud headquarters head Vivian Pezo and benthic researcher Pablo Araya, who analyzes data collected by monitoring in the southern area of Los Lagos Region and in Aysén, an opportunity in which dissemination material prepared by IFOP was delivered to communities representatives and guests at the workshop.
In Aysén Region, dissemination included a visit to schools in the towns of Melinka and Repollal, where participatory techniques were developed, showing institutional videos on topics related to benthic resources and IFOP’s carried out work by scientific observers in the area. Consultations were made about contents delivered and institutional material prepared for the school community was given as a prize, which generated an enriching experience of knowledge transmission. The radio interview was conducted on the local station “La Voz del Cipres” where topics related to IFOP’s work in the area were discussed and the community was invited to participate in the hedgehog festival.
Without a doubt, the event that attracted the most attention was IFOP’s institutional stand presentation at the V version of the traditional “hedgehog festival” organized by Melinka illustrious municipality. The organization and preparations of the stand were possible thanks to the joint efforts of Fisheries and Aquaculture divisions, who carried out necessary arrangements for the logistics required by the event. These linkage initiatives at the local level have great relevance and are ideal for transmitting to the public IFOP’s valuable contribution in the task of our marine resources care and preservation. On the other hand, they are necessary to strengthen ties with local community, especially all in isolated places where joint work has been carried out for decades.
The hedgehog festival brought together the entire local community, especially those who carry out productive tasks around this valuable resource. He highlighted the great enthusiasm in participating in traditional contests, such as the largest “paipa” (the largest diameter urchin captured in the area) and who was the fastest in the female and male genders. He also highlighted marine gastronomy, trivia and contests. suitable for all ages, where IFOP officials actively participated, being part of the jury in different competitions, highlighting our local scientific observers participation, Damaris Rain and Valentina Águila, who were in charge of measuring the largest hedgehogs in the Guaitecas , taking the prize for a specimen that reached 12 cm. diameter.
It was satisfying to witness public’s interest in IFOP’s work Leslie Figueroa field coordinator was in charge of organizing the activities, in addition to giving prizes to whoever answered questions related to the institutional work in the area, for her part Daniel Triviño scientific observer answered concerns, distributed posters of main benthic resources monitored by the program to those who visited the stand, while researchers Pablo Araya and Macarena Herrera answered questions about biological topics and natural events that affect seafood in southern Chile. A great success was the magnifying glass that allowed us to show the first stages of the life cycle of the hedgehog and other benthic resources.
We appreciate local IFOP’s team welcome, where we were also able to visit modern sea urchin processing plant facilities by Don Marco Aedo and another marble crab plant by Mrs. Elsa Puinao, both in Melinka. We hope to continue with joint interaction to continue contributing, learning and advising national fisheries research in the best possible way.