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

Key Topics Covered

Key Takeaways

Links and Resources Mentioned

Follow us on social media!

Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram

Share your sustainability tips with us [email protected]!

Do you have a seafood innovation? Applications are now open for this years Responsible Seafood Innovation Awards. APPLY NOW

If you want to be more involved in the work that we do, become a member of the Global Seafood Alliance: https://www.globalseafood.org/membership/

The views expressed by external guests on Aquademia are their own and do not reflect the opinions of Aquademia or the Global Seafood Alliance. Listeners are advised to independently verify information and consult experts for any specific advice or decisions.