Conxemar Lab is launched, a pioneering educational classroom bringing the world of the sea closer to schoolchildren

• The new space, located at the Association’s headquarters in Spain, is expected to welcome more than 5,000 pupils per school year
• The aim is to promote healthy eating habits and raise awareness of the fisheries and aquaculture value chain from an early age
• The project includes an educational cooking area specifically designed for pupils to learn, cook and taste seafood products

The Spanish Association of Wholesalers, Importers, Processors and Exporters of Fisheries and Aquaculture Products (Conxemar) has today inaugurated Conxemar Lab, an educational and interactive classroom conceived to bring the world of the sea and its products closer to children aged between 7 and 11, promoting healthy eating habits and knowledge of the sector through an innovative, educational and experiential approach.

Located at the Association’s headquarters in Vigo (Spain), Conxemar Lab has a strong educational vocation and aims to become a benchmark space for the educational community.

Through an experiential journey adapted to a young audience, pupils can directly explore the seafood value chain, from fishing to marketing, including aquaculture and seafood processing.

At the inauguration event, attended by the Regional Minister for Maritime Affairs (Conselleira do Mar), Marta Villaverde, the President of Conxemar, Eloy García, highlighted the project and its long-term vision:
“Today we are not merely opening a physical space; we are launching an idea and a new way of explaining who we are as a sector and the role we want to play in the education of future generations.”

More than 5,000 pupils per year

Conxemar Lab has been designed to operate continuously throughout the school year, with a high capacity to host educational groups.

On the day of the inauguration, the centre welcomed pupils from the third year of primary education at CEIP Reibón in Moaña.

Over a full academic year, the project is designed to host 180 classes, involving 5,400 pupils and 360 teachers, consolidating its position as one of the largest educational spaces in Spain linked to the seafood sector.

The development of Conxemar Lab has involved an investment of close to €700,000. In parallel, part of the project has received funding of approximately €100,000 from the Local Fisheries Action Group (FLAG) Ría de Vigo–A Guarda.

An immersive and interactive journey

The Conxemar Lab experience begins with an immersive video that introduces pupils to the marine environment and allows them to understand, in a simple and visual way, the relationship between the sea and the products that reach their table.

Pupils then move on to an interactive area where, through games and participatory activities, they explore the different stages of the value chain, from the origin of the product to its processing.

The itinerary continues in a space recreating a supermarket, where pupils learn to identify seafood products, recognise their different formats and understand how they are marketed and reach the consumer.

This progressive journey culminates in the educational kitchen, where a cooking workshop and tasting of a fish-based recipe take place. This area is one of the core elements of the project and represents a pioneering proposal in the educational field. As Eloy García explains, “learning also means touching, smelling, cooking and tasting”.

Beyond technical content, as highlighted by the President, Conxemar Lab conveys values such as the importance of healthy eating, respect for the marine environment, sustainability and equal opportunities, presenting the seafood sector as a source of employment and an inclusive field open to everyone.