An adult queen conch (Aliger gigas) in The Bahamas. (Photo credit: Shane Gross)

Florida Atlantic University’s Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute was awarded a grant by the Longer Tables Fund to develop a community-based aquaculture facility for conservation and restoration of the queen conch on the island of Eleuthera in The Bahamas. Through a strategic partnership with The Island School’s Cape Eleuthera Institute (CEI), the Queen Conch Conservancy: A Community-Based Aquaculture Restoration Project will address the needs to ensure longevity of the species.

Launched by Chef José Andrés with support from the Bezos Courage and Civility Award, the Longer Tables Fund invests in innovative solutions that transform food systems, rebuild communities, and empower the next generation of food leaders. From supporting local initiatives to global coalitions, the Longer Tables Fund is committed to bringing people together through the power of food and creating a more resilient, inclusive future.

“I believe food has the incredible power to nourish communities, sustain livelihoods, and create a healthier planet,” said Andrés. “That’s why I am so excited for how this new partnership will restore healthy conch populations and improve sustainable fishing methods. The Queen Conch Lab is showing us what it looks like when science, community and food come together to build a better future – this is what it means to build longer tables.”

Harbor Branch’s Queen Conch Lab (QCL) is working to establish a community-based queen conch farm in every Caribbean country. Native to Florida and the Caribbean, the queen conch is an important grazer that keeps seagrass beds healthy. It is also deeply rooted in the culinary and economic culture of these communities as one of the most significant fisheries in the region.

Between 1980 and 2020, approximately 31,000 tons of conch were harvested annually, worth nearly $39 million per year. Overfishing and habitat degradation have led to a significant decline in queen conch populations, and the conch is now listed as “threatened” under the Endangered Species Act. Predictions based on extensive surveys indicate that commercial fishing for queen conch in The Bahamas may become unsustainable within 10 to 15 years.

José Andrés’ Longer Tables Fund is the latest to join an impressive coalition of QCL supporters. Over the past six years, QCL has received nearly $6 million in philanthropic and other support from the Builders Vision; Moore Bahamas Foundation; Saltonstall-Kennedy NOAA Fisheries; U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service; Jamaica Conch Restoration Project; Bahamas National Trust; Blue Carbon Plus (BC+); and McPike-Zima Foundation.

QCL has established community-based farms in 10 locations across the Caribbean; along with The Bahamas, Puerto Rico, Jamaica and Curaçao are a few of the others. This project will expand the program’s reach into The Bahamas and deepen its partnership with CEI, a world-renowned science and experiential learning campus which connects primary research to education and outreach, where students from pre-K to doctorate levels interact and learn from leading researchers. CEI has been studying the queen conch in this region for more than 20 years.

“We are thrilled to partner with José Andrés, the Longer Tables Fund, The Island School, and the community of Eleuthera to help grow and restore the queen conch, which is significant to the local ecosystem and a vital resource and cultural touchstone for the island,” said Megan Davis, Ph.D., director of the QCL, and a research professor of aquaculture and stock enhancement at FAU Harbor Branch. “This collaboration supports working together as a community to ensure the queen conch is there for generations to come, and there is much more work to be done.”

The QCL will establish and operate a Queen Conch Mobile Lab at the institute with the goal of growing up to 2,000 queen conch juveniles per year for conservation and restoration. In conjunction, the program will offer training and education to staff and the more than 1,000 students attending the school each year. Building upon longstanding relationships The Island School has developed in the local community, the collaboration will also offer outreach activities to the approximately 10,000 residents on Eleuthera, providing training in workforce skills and education on sustainable fishing practices.

“We are so pleased to be partnering with Harbor Branch’s Queen Conch Lab and Chef José Andrés’ Longer Tables Fund to address a critical concern in our local environment and the community – the conservation and restoration of the queen conch population,” said Chris Maxey, founder and head of school of The Island School. “The project fits squarely into our mission of conducting innovative, cutting-edge environmental research, and sharing and applying what we learn to sustainable solutions within our community.”

-FAU-