UWI’s Discovery Bay Marine Lab Successfully Hatches and Releases 45,000 Queen Conch Larvae

The University of the West Indies’ Discovery Bay Marine Laboratory (DBML) has successfully hatched and released over 45,000 queen conch larvae into the wild through its newly established mobile laboratory. This milestone marks a significant step in marine conservation and the restoration of Jamaica’s overfished marine protected areas.

Launched in April, the innovative project is focused on rearing queen conch from egg mass to early juvenile stages, using both a flow-through seawater system and a recirculating system. The project, the first of its kind in Jamaica, was made possible with funding from the United States Embassy’s Public Affairs Section, which supports federal grants aimed at environmental preservation.

The DBML is collaborating with the Florida Atlantic University’s Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute and the Jamaica Conch Restoration Project. Together, they aim to restore queen conch populations, particularly in the country’s marine protected areas, which have been severely impacted by overfishing.

The mobile laboratory, housed in a 20-foot by 8-foot cargo trailer, includes a specialized area for culturing microalgae, which is used to feed the conch larvae, known as veligers. Once the conch reach a juvenile size of 4 to 10 millimeters in shell length, they will be released into the Discovery Bay Special Fishery Conservation Area.

Since the project’s inception, over 500 local and international visitors have toured the mobile lab and participated in outreach activities. Additionally, DBML staff have received specialized training in conch cultivation, ensuring that local scientists, fishers, and members of the Jamaica Fish Sanctuary Network can continue to advance marine conservation efforts.

In a statement, the DBML highlighted the importance of technology transfer and training, and the potential for replicating this successful project in other marine protected areas in Jamaica.

This initiative is a significant contribution to the restoration of marine ecosystems and the protection of vital marine species, ensuring the future of queen conch populations in Jamaica’s coastal waters.