Queen Conch Aquaculture and Restoration

For more than 20 years, Florida Atlantic University Harbor Branch researchers have been studying the queen conch, a marine snail critical to Caribbean environments and cultures. This long-lived gastropod is prized for its pink shell, and nutritious and economic value. It is also an important seagrass grazer, removing epiphytic algae from the surface of the blades to keep the beds healthy. Unfortunately, this species has declined due to overfishing throughout the Caribbean. Our scientists have developed innovative aquaculture techniques to raise queen conch from eggs to juveniles, eventually releasing them into the wild to help restore declining populations. Charitable gifts to this program help support queen conch aquaculture and restoration efforts at Harbor Branch.