The Queen conch is important to Bahamian culture. It has been used for centuries for food, decoration, jewelry, bait for fishing, and even as a musical instrument.
A Bahamian treasure by any name, its scientific name is now Aliger gigas, originally known as Strombus gigas or more recently as Lobatus gigas. Periodically species can be renamed when further information becomes available for their reclassification. Aliger is a genus of sea snails, marine
gastropod mollusks are in the family Strombidae.
Sadly, conch populations around the region have collapsed due to over-harvesting and harvesting of juveniles. Conch is listed in Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species (CITIES). The Bahamas is actively working to protect the country’s conch population for
current and future generations. As a reminder to all fishers, a conch must have a well-formed, flared lip to be harvested. We ask the public to support Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) that serve as replenishment zones, and only
purchase and consume sustainably harvested seafood.
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