The queen conch (Aliger gigas), vital to Caribbean diets and economies, faces significant threats from overexploitation and habitat degradation. Despite protective measures such as the 1986 fishery closure in Florida and recent export bans in The Bahamas, population declines persist. The queen conch was included in CITES Appendix II in 1992 and was recently listed as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act by NOAA Fisheries, emphasizing the need for sustainable management and conservation.
The FAU Harbor Branch Queen Conch Lab (QCL) is working to restore the species through queen conch nursery farms across the Caribbean. Currently, there are eight partnership projects in Puerto Rico, The Bahamas, Jamaica, Curacao, and Florida with more locations anticipated to open annually. This initiative began in 2019 with the NOAA-funded Naguabo Aquaculture Center in Puerto Rico, with Conservación ConCiencia and Naguabo Fishing Association. Fishers bring egg masses to the Center and receive stipends for their participation. Family and community members handle daily operations for the Center that is located in the Fishing Association.
To expand these efforts, QCL developed the Queen Conch Mobile Lab concept in partnership with Green Island Blue Ocean. The first Mobile Lab Hatchery was established in Great Exuma in 2023, followed by seven more Mobile Labs in 2023-2024 that were shipped to locations including Puerto Rico, Jamaica, and The Bahamas. Each Mobile Lab, measuring 20’ x 8’, can nurture up to 2,000 juvenile conch annually, operating on solar power and featuring saltwater filtration systems. The Grand Bahama Queen Conch Mariculture Center, supported by Builders Initiative and in partnership with Blue Action Lab, hatched its first egg masses in June 2024. This Center serves as a training site for students. In 2024, the Curaçao Queen Conch Hatchery coordinated releases of hatchery-reared conch in Curaçao and Bonaire waters.
A comprehensive approach, including enforced fishery management practices and innovative aquaculture, is essential to secure the future of the queen conch. The FAU Queen Conch Lab’s initiatives not only support conservation education and restoration but also offer significant socioeconomic and environmental benefits to Caribbean communities.