The queen conch , an important fishery species in the Caribbean, has been overfished. The conch ‘carrucho’ fished in Puerto Rico are consumed locally. With the decline in populations in the Puerto Rico state and federal waters, closed seasons, and disruption of conch habitats from hurricanes, conch is a prime aquaculture candidate species .
Figure 1. Puerto Rico, Naguabo Queen Conch Hatchery located at the Commercial Fishing Association.
The project goal (S-K NOAA Award NA19NMF4270029 ) is to assist with restoration of the queen conch fishery in Puerto Rico by producing 2,000 conch per year in a fishers -operated pilot-scale hatchery and nursery facility. In June 2021, the conch hatchery and seawater system were completed at the Naguabo Commercial Fishing Association (Fig. 1) . T he fishers collect up to three small sections of conch egg masses every one to two weeks during their fishing trips. In the hatchery, the egg masses incubate in a recirculating saltwater system. On the fourth day, each egg mass hatches in a 68-L larval tank. The conch veligers (larvae) are cultured for 21-25 days and fed microalgae (Isocrysis galbana and Chaetoceros gracilis) . In July 2021, the first culture of larvae successfully metamorphosed in shallow trays in a recirculating tank system. Detrital seagrass blades were used as the metamorphic cue and the conch were provided with flocculated C. gracilis food. Multiple batches of larvae were raised in the Puerto Rico, Naguabo Queen Conch Hatchery from June to November 2021. The recirculating juvenile nursery tank system is designed to culture conch on sand substrate. At this stage the conch will be fed a gel-diet for 12-months prior to release in nearby seagrass beds. This project serves as a model that can be transferred to other fishing communities in Puerto Rico and elsewhere in the Caribbean .