Aquademia: The Seafood Podcast

Saving the Queen: How Mobile Hatcheries Are Reviving Caribbean Conch

Episode Summary

The Aquademia Podcast sits down with Becky Holt and Dr. Megan Davis from the Florida Atlantic University Queen Conch Lab to explore how mobile hatcheries are helping restore queen conch populations across the Caribbean. The conversation dives into the ecological importance of queen conch, the innovative “conch ranching” model, and the community partnerships driving the project forward. From conservation and aquaculture to education and entrepreneurship, this episode highlights a restoration effort that is reshaping the future of an iconic Caribbean species.

Episode Notes

Episode Summary

Queen conch have long been a cultural, ecological, and economic cornerstone throughout the Caribbean, but decades of overfishing, habitat degradation, and climate impacts have caused populations to decline dramatically. In this episode, Becky Holt and Dr. Megan Davis of the Florida Atlantic University Queen Conch Lab share how their team is working to reverse that trend through restoration aquaculture, community partnerships, and an innovative network of mobile hatcheries deployed throughout the Caribbean.

The conversation explores how the Queen Conch Lab evolved from a single collaborative project in Puerto Rico into a growing regional initiative with mobile labs operating across multiple Caribbean nations. Becky and Megan discuss everything from the biology of queen conch and their role in maintaining healthy seagrass ecosystems to the logistics of raising larvae, training local communities, and building long-term conservation programs. They also reflect on winning the 2025 Responsible Seafood Summit Innovation Award and their vision of establishing a queen conch farm in every Caribbean country.

Featured Guests

Dr. Megan Davis - Research Professor and Director, Florida Atlantic University Queen Conch Lab
Becky Holt - Assistant Director, Florida Atlantic University Queen Conch Lab

Key Topics Covered

Why queen conch are critical to Caribbean ecosystems and coastal communities
How conch help maintain healthy seagrass beds and biodiversity
The development of mobile queen conch hatcheries
Community-based restoration and local workforce training
The lifecycle and aquaculture process of queen conch
“Conch ranching” and nursery release strategies
Educational outreach through the “Conch in the Classroom” program
Challenges facing queen conch populations, including climate change and overfishing
The Queen Conch Lab’s 2025 Responsible Seafood Summit Innovation Award win
The future potential for commercial queen conch aquaculture

Key Takeaways

Queen conch play a major ecological role by naturally grazing and cleaning seagrass habitats.
Successful restoration efforts depend heavily on local partnerships and community involvement.
Mobile hatcheries allow restoration projects to operate in remote Caribbean regions without major infrastructure needs.
Queen conch restoration creates both conservation benefits and economic opportunities for local communities.
Education and hands-on engagement are helping inspire the next generation of ocean stewards throughout the Caribbean.
The Queen Conch Lab’s long-term vision is to establish restoration-focused conch farming initiatives throughout the Caribbean region.

Links and Resources Mentioned

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