By Lester Gittens & Michael Braynen Dept. of Marine Resources, Govt. of The Bahamas

LITTLE BAHAMA BANK GREAT BAHAMA BANK NASSAU Over 100,000 km 2 of shallow water

Conch fishery is 2 nd -3 rd most important fishery Employs over 9,000 fishers Utilizes over 4,000 small vessels Conch caught by free diving and with compressors >60% of landings during April-July

Fishery Resources (Jurisdiction and Conservation) Act 1977 Fisheries Resources (Jurisdiction and Conservation) Regulations 1986 Wildlife Conservation and Trade Act yr ( ) Strategic Plan Commercial fisheries reserved for Bahamian citizens

Dept of Marine Resources has primary responsibility for management Multiple agencies conduct enforcement -Defence Force Officers -Customs Officers -Police Officers-Agriculture Officers

Aquaculture sector targeted for development Multiple aquaculture ventures have received approvals and duty free concessions No successful long-term ventures Past failures currently under review

Use of SCUBA for commercial fishing prohibited Limitations on the use of compressed air Expanding network of marine protected areas – conch surveyed in two Conch export quota system-limits landings Dept. of Marine Resources- CITES Scientific Authority Dept. of Agriculture – CITES Management Authority

Most conch consumed locally- 1.3kg/capita/yr Virtually all exports to USA (99% in 2011) Queen Conch Landings and Exports

Increase in value to >$3million Value of Exports *2009 data unavailable

Collected by trip interviews Supplemented by purchase reports submitted by processing plants that are located on most islands with major fishing communities Data collected: total weight of conch landed, the local value of landings, landings by major- island and fishing effort Commercial export amounts and value are also recorded

5 density surveys conducted since 2009 Represents small portion of conch occurrence and fishing grounds 1 Berry Islands:- decline in juvenile densities compared to a 1987 study Conch present in a new MPA- inadequate for reproduction 1 Stoner et al 2009

SW Abaco Andros Exuma Cays LSP Lee S. Island Berry Islands

2 Andros –low reproduction taking place adult densities of 118/ha in small area dominated by “samba” conch in higher density areas 3 Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park- 10% of adults were reproducing Densities 6% lower in a shelf area 69% lower in a bank area between 2011 and Stoner and Davis Stoner et al 2011

3 At Lee Stocking Island- very low densities 91% decline since 1991 SW Abaco soon to be released Other research- the relationship between lip thickness, maturity and the presence of a flared lip 4 Juveniles not adequately protected in most Caribbean countries Multiple contributors: Community Conch, Bahamas Government, BNT,TNC 3 Stoner et al Stoner et al 2012

Recent progress made Recent surveys and research have provided a basis for improved management