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Text here about the status of conch, importance of conch conservation and introducing the video!
Bahama’s National Trust Official “Conch Gone” Music Video.
You can find our videos and more videos about conch in the Video Gallery
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𝐉𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐢𝐜𝐚 𝐎𝐧 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐭𝐨 𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝'𝐬 𝐅𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐥 (𝐌𝐒𝐂) 𝐄𝐧𝐝𝐨𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐐𝐮𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐜𝐡.
Jamaica exports about 90% of their conch and has been working for years to get MSC endorsement. To reach this goal, they have instituted 1) a total allowable catch based on field surveys and actual landings 2) individual conch quotas for licensed fishers 3) licenses for each conch fishing boat 4) fines for invalid license or quota 5) an annual export quota 6) two independent inspections of each export shipment 7) a closed season when waters are warmest (Aug-Feb) 8) minimum landing size 9) designation of 16 fishery conservation areas run with NGOs.
Management of Queen Conch in The Bahamas is considering only a few of these management regulations. While it is true that the conch fishery in The Bahamas is much more dispersed than the Pedro Bank in Jamaica, and therefore more difficult to manage, it is not immune from overfishing. Not only has it not finalized any conch harvest regulations, the government has essentially stopped all ongoing monitoring of the fishery by denying permits to the scientists donating their time and resources to this labor intensive work.
Jamaica’s queen conch fishery a cut above all others
jamaica-gleaner.com
The Jamaica Conch Cluster is on track to achieve Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification for the conch fishery sector, an endorsement which will put it in a class by itself, following an indepe...
𝗠𝗶𝗻𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗦𝘄𝗲𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗔𝘀𝗸𝗲𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗣𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗰 𝗨𝗽𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗼𝗻 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗰𝗵 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘀
On March 30, Mr. Ian Mabon wrote a well-informed history on conch research in The Bahamas to Minister Clay Sweeting. As an update, Community Conch can add that conch exports in 2021 (newest gov’t figures available) were about 235,000 lbs. and declining. Graph below is based on official government landings and export data (Community Conch, 2023).
Officials at the Dept. of Marine Resources (DMR) has said that export of conch was stopped on a voluntary basis in Jan 2022. That means it is not illegal to export conch. The end of export is part of the draft Fisheries Regulations and will not be illegal until it passes through that process. In his response to Mr. Mabon, Minister Sweeting could update the public on the schedule for finalization of the draft Fisheries Regulations.
thenassauguardian.com/an-open-letter-to-minister-of-agriculture-and-marine-resources-clay-sweeting/
Letter to Editor from Harbor Island Student about Overfishing
Thank you Asia Butler! Nice to hear from Bahamian youth who are concerned about the future of queen conch and know that lip thickness is the correct way to measure their maturity. Unfortunately, the government has not scheduled finalization of the draft rules about lip thickness or requiring landing in the shell. Perhaps a nationwide student campaign would speed things up.
LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Overfishing and species endangerment
ewnews.com
Dear Editor, Hello! My name is Asia Butler, a 17-year-old graduate of Harbour Island All Age School, Harbour Island, Eleuthera and one of the BREEF Bahamas Environmental Steward scholars for 2022-2023...TONIGHT! National Mangrove Project Workshop Apr 26, 2023 6 PM ET Join in to learn how to take part in preserving the Bahamas! Wed. Jan 26th, 10 am and 6 PM on Zoom www.facebook.com/1555772911308409/posts/3630712453814434/
𝗦𝗘𝗣𝗧 𝟳, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟮, 𝗤𝗨𝗘𝗘𝗡 𝗖𝗢𝗡𝗖𝗛 𝗣𝗥𝗢𝗣𝗢𝗦𝗘𝗗 𝗔𝗦 𝗧𝗛𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗧𝗘𝗡𝗘𝗗
After 12 years of data consideration and lawsuits, NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) has concluded that Queen Conch is threatened in its range which includes The Bahamas, the Caribbean and Florida. Community Conch's data from density surveys and maturity research in The Bahamas has been considered in this decision along with data from our partners at the Shedd Aquarium.
NMFS is now requesting comments via electronic submissions provided in the link below. Please review the section on How to Comment on the Proposed Rule. The comment period ends on Nov 7th, 2022. Anyone can comment on the rule, including people outside of the US. Although NMFS is not proposing rules at this time, they are seeking information from the public on possible measures for conservation for possible future rule making.
www.fisheries.noaa.gov/bulletin/request-comments-proposed-rule-list-queen-conch-threatened-under-...
www.fisheries.noaa.gov
FB22-056: Southeast Fishery Bulletin; For more information, contact: Calusa Horn, 727-551-5782, Calusa.Horn@noaa.gov
𝗖𝗼𝘃𝗶𝗱-𝟭𝟵 𝗙𝗮𝗰𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝗜𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗴𝗮𝗹 𝗙𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗳 𝗤𝘂𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗰𝗵 𝗶𝗻 𝗠𝗲𝘅𝗶𝗰𝗼
During the summer months of 2020, Mexican agents seized 7,000 pounds of illegally caught queen conch meat. This increase of about 15% since 2019 is attributed to lack of enforcement during the Covid-19 pandemic. The meat was harvested from the areas of the Chinchorro Bank, Cozumel and Isla Mujeres. The harvest of queen conch in Mexico is currently banned in February and from May through November.
www.riviera-maya-news.com/profepa-steps-up-surveillance-after-seizing-3-5-tons-of-illegally-fishe...
www.riviera-maya-news.com
Costa Maya, Q.R. -- Profepa says that between May and August of 2020, more than 3.5 tons of pink snail illegally fished for, was seized.