Florida Atlantic: Building Longer Tables

Florida Atlantic University's Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute was awarded a grant by Chef José Andrés through 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.

"I believe food has the incredible power to nourish communities, sustain livelihoods and create a healthier planet," Andrés said. "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.

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 indicate that commercial fishing for queen conch in the Bahamas may become unsustainable within 10 to 15 years.

The QCL will establish and operate a Queen Conch Mobile Lab at The Island School's Cape Eleuthera Institute, a world-renowned science and experiential learning campus which connects primary research to education and outreach, with the goal of growing up to 2,000 queen conch juveniles per year for conservation and restoration. The program will offer training and education to staff and students attending the school, while also offering outreach activities to the residents on Eleuthera, providing training in workforce skills and education on sustainable fishing practices.

"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 at FAU Harbor Branch.