In The Bahamas and other Caribbean islands, the queen conch has an important role for food and livelihoods. In many places, whole communities are formed because of the conch, which is the case pictured here in West End, Grand Bahama. These piles of discarded shells from the harvests are called conch middens. The conch is considered a cultural icon and has been harvested for thousands of years. Since these prehistoric times the conch meat has been eaten and the shells have been used for utensils, tools, jewelry, building materials, and ceremonial items. Today the conch is listed by NOAA Fisheries as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act. At the Florida Atlantic Harbor Branch Oceanographic Queen Conch Lab, the mission is to grow the queen conch for the sake of the species, seagrass ecosystem and for the people that depend on the fishery.