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 candidate to be aquacultured. 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 in a fishers-operated facility. In June 2021, the conch hatchery and seawater system were completed at the Naguabo Fishing Association. In June, the fishers started collecting two to three small pieces of conch egg masses per week 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. 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 provided food. Multiple batches of larvae will be raised in the ‘Naguabo Queen Conch Hatchery’. The recirculating juvenile nursery tank system is being installed to and conch will be cultured on sand substrate with 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.
