Conch hatchery to be established on Union Island

Director general of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), Dr Didacus Jules has expressed great optimism in the creation of a sustainable conch industry which will help to create livelihoods and preserve this important resource for future generations.

Director General of the OECS, Dr Didacus Jules

His comments were made at the end of a two- day regional workshop of the OECS Blue BioTrade Action Plan for the queen conch value chain at the Sunset Shores Hotel.

Among the key issues discussed was the establishment of a conch hatchery in Union Island in the Southern Grenadines.

The OECS Director General said he believed that such a facility will be of critical importance to the sustainability of the conch industry.

He added that all supporting architecture, including legal, scientific and financial must be put in place to allow the industry to grow organically.

The workshop brought together fisheries stakeholders from across the region, as well as representatives from the European Union and the United Nations Conference on trade and development unit.

The trade in conch has been estimated at a current 68 million dollars but increasing in value with data from cites showing that between 1992 and 2001, 21.61 million pounds of conch was exported from the region.

This important resource is however threatened by overfishing and climate change.

Conchs take around four to five years to become mature for reproduction, with hatcheries providing a safe environment for them to grow and reproduce.