The queen conch (Aliger gigas) is the largest molluscan fishery in the Caribbean . H igh demand for its meat, coupled with overharvesting and degradation of coastal seagrass habitats, has led to substantial declines in its population . Local regulations, along with CITES Appendix II guidelines, assist with fishery management of the species but additional measures need to be taken. Recently, NOAA Fisheries announced a proposed rule to list queen conch as an Endangered Species Act threatened species to prevent it from becoming endangered.
FAU Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute’s Queen Conch Lab (QCL) works to provide the aquaculture of queen conch to help restore the species across its range and to realize the vision for a queen conch farm in every Caribbean country. This is a bold vision with many facets that need to be taken into consideration and cannot be accomplished alone. Along with the species and ecosystem, a core motivation for the QCL’s work is to support the people who depend on the fishery. This species has a deep cultural space within the communities of the Caribbean. It serves as a crucial protein source for local consumption and generates significant revenue from harvests; in fact , whole communities have been formed around the existence of the species.
QCL sees the socioeconomic benefits of placing conch farms within communities to encourage workforce development, employment, training, and regional outreach, all with the goal of supporting restoration and forming new bonds with the queen conch. Giving fisherfolk and community members a significant role to play in restoration, and valuing their practical knowledge, allows the QCL to transfer knowledge of the conch’s life cycle and the role it plays in the seagrass habitats with greater ease and trust.
There are currently six community-based, partnership conch farms across five countries: Puerto Rico, The Bahamas, Curaçao, Jamaica, and Florida, with others interested (see Figure). Since each farm is located in a different country or territory, there are key differences to be taken into consideration. These include the local culture, language, skill level, government, permitting, geography, and the environmental conditions of each place . To train staff in places that are so diverse begins with considering the commonalities, which include strategic partners and sponsors, community, communication, and the queen conch itself . This presentation provides insights into the social dimensions of what it takes to create community-based farms to assist with restoring the queen of the sea.