Valentina Hevia-Hormazábal

Who I am

As a marine biologist with experience in the ecology of marine environments, I specialise in bycatch species, chondrichthyan embryology and artisanal fishing. In 2018, I started working as a laboratory technician and associate researcher at the Chemical Oceanography and Phytoplankton laboratories, both of which are at the Universidad Católica del Norte (UCN) in Chile, and currently I am a PhD student in applied biology and ecology. In 2022 and 2023, under the supervision of Dr Bustamante and MSc Acuña, I began collecting washed-up egg cases of chondrichthyans, an activity that became the basis for the reintroduction of shark and ray juveniles into the marine environment. More than 800 individuals have been released so far. My research has provided significant advances in the knowledge of the biology and ecology of sharks and rays, and the impact of kelp harvesting.

Where I work

The project is located at Changa beach, an easily reached tourist area near the city of Coquimbo, Chile. TURFs (territorial use rights for fishing) that are protected by local artisanal fishermen’s organisations are also associated with Changa. After being trained, fishermen will be in a position to support the development of the project by collecting chondrichthyan egg cases found in kelp that has washed up along the beach.

What I do

Weekly visits are made to Changa beach, prioritising the days after storm surges, and washed-up kelp is checked for egg cases. Any egg cases found are collected, put in bags with sea water and transferred to the fisheries laboratory of the UCN. There they are counted and assessed for viability. Viable egg cases are held in fish tanks for a few months until they hatch. Finally, the juvenile chondrichthyans are released in the same area where the egg cases were collected.