QUEEN CONCH (LOBATUS GIGAS) 2023 CLOSED SEASON FOR EXPORT

Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands, July 13, 2023 – The Fisheries and Marine Resource Management is pleased to announce and advise the General Public of the official closing season of the Lobatus gigas (Queen conch) on 15 July 2023 for EXPORT.  

Queen conch continues to be one of the two major economically important fisheries for the Turks and Caicos Islands.  However, throughout the Caribbean region, the Queen conch has been declining in abundance and the TCI is not immune to the limitations of the species.  Therefore, the Department of Fisheries and Marine Resources Management have taken steps to evaluate the population of the Queen conch in the TCI, with two separate underwater visual surveys.  These surveys have assisted with a funding proposal to continue the assessment by obtaining more abundance information, local consumption patterns, biological data and training in trade restrictions specific to the Queen conch.  

Therefore, the 2023-2024 Queen conch season for export opens on the 15^th of October, 2023 and will close on the 15^th of July 2024 or earlier if the exportation quota is extinguished. Exportation includes: conch meat, (frozen or dried) and derivatives (trimmings), Conch Pearls, Shells and other Conch products.

Photo Credit: Beaches TCI