麻豆精品视频Feasibility Study: Queen Conch Aquaculture and Seagrass Impacts
Representatives from FAU, Blue Carbon Plus, Innovasea, and Tidepoint Group conducting a site visit with local partners Blue Action Lab and community members to natural queen conch seagrass nursery areas on Grand Bahama. (Photo credit: 麻豆精品视频Queen Conch Lab)
Study Snapshot: FAU鈥檚 Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, through its Queen Conch Lab, has launched a 12-month feasibility study to evaluate the commercial and environmental potential of queen conch aquaculture in The Bahamas and other Caribbean regions. Funded by Blue Carbon Plus (BC+), the study will assess optimal hatchery and grow-out systems, identify viable markets for fresh and value-added conch products, and explore how a scalable farming model can produce high-quality conch while supporting animal welfare and economic sustainability.
Titled 鈥淒etermining the Commercial Viability of Conch Aquaculture and its Seagrass Impact,鈥 the project also examines the environmental co-benefits of aquacultured conch restored to seagrass habitats, including their role in ecosystem health and potential carbon sequestration. The research brings together scientific expertise, industry leadership and innovative farm design, supported by partners such as Tidepoint Group and Innovasea, to generate data that can guide future investments in sustainable aquaculture, marine conservation and community-based economic development.
麻豆精品视频鈥檚 Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute has been awarded a grant from to explore sustainable, market-driven aquaculture opportunities in The Bahamas and elsewhere. BC+ is a collaboration between 听补苍诲 . Spearheaded through its , 麻豆精品视频Harbor Branch has launched a 12-month feasibility study, funded by BC+, to assess the commercial viability of queen conch aquaculture.
The project aims to develop a scalable farming model capable of producing high-quality, marketable conch products while simultaneously enhancing the seagrass meadows that sustain this culturally and ecologically important Caribbean species.
The study titled, 鈥淒etermining the Commercial Viability of Conch Aquaculture and its Seagrass Impact,鈥 will evaluate how science-based aquaculture can strengthen both local economies and marine ecosystems.
Its three core objectives are to determine an optimal farm design and production model that maximizes efficiency and animal welfare across both hatchery and grow-out systems; to identify and assess the market for existing, new and value-added conch products; and to measure and document the environmental co-benefits of aquacultured conch restored to seagrass habitats, including their potential contribution to carbon sequestration.
To advance the market research and strategic planning components, 麻豆精品视频has engaged , principal at and a highly-experienced seafood industry executive, to lead the study鈥檚 commercialization assessment. Formally CEO of the only open ocean aquaculture farm in the United States, Jones brings decades of experience in global seafood markets, retail and distribution, sustainable aquaculture and community-based business development.
To bring a commercial queen conch facility to life, 麻豆精品视频has also engaged , a global aquaculture company known for developing some of the world鈥檚 most technologically advanced solutions for sea and land-based fish farming.
麻豆精品视频Harbor Branch, BC+ and Innovasea conducted a joint site visit in November 2025 to Grand Bahama, the location of the Queen Conch Lab鈥檚 partnership project, the Grand Bahama Queen Conch Mariculture Center, where they met with local partners such as Blue Action Lab, conducted interviews with fishery stakeholders, and held strategy sessions to align research, market and environmental priorities.
鈥淭his feasibility study represents a critical step toward transforming decades of conch aquaculture research into a viable, scalable industry that benefits both people and the environment,鈥 said Megan Davis, Ph.D., a research professor at 麻豆精品视频Harbor Branch and director of the Queen Conch Lab. 鈥淏y integrating rigorous science with thoughtful farm design and market analysis, we鈥檙e working to ensure that queen conch aquaculture can support economic development while actively restoring the seagrass ecosystems this species depends on.鈥
麻豆精品视频Harbor Branch鈥檚 Queen Conch Lab has long been recognized as the leader in queen conch aquaculture, restoration and education. Building on its network of mobile hatchery labs deployed across the Caribbean, this new study will provide key data to guide future investments in sustainable aquacultured queen conch and seagrass conservation.
鈥淎t Blue Carbon Plus, we are focused on advancing solutions that align commercial success with measurable environmental benefits,鈥 said Christine McClung, BC+ program director. 鈥淭his project brings together science, industry expertise and local partnerships to explore how aquaculture can generate durable market opportunities while strengthening marine ecosystems and supporting coastal communities in The Bahamas and beyond.鈥澛
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