Caribbean Queen Research Articles

Examining the Movement of the Common Spider Conch Lambis lambis in Shallow Water of a Northeastern Indian Ocean Atoll Using Passive Acoustic Tracking

Despite the commercial and cultural values of conch (family: Strombidae), there is a paucity of biological and ecological information to assist with the management of many conch fisheries. The common spider conch Lambis lambis, harvested throughout the Indo-Pacific for its meat and shell, is an example of such a data-deficient conch species. This study used passive acoustic tracking to estimate the spatial requirement and broad movement patterns of L. lambis over a 13-mo period in an extremely shallow (depth < 2 m) lagoonal environment of the Cocos (Keeling) Islands (CKI). The mean kernel utilization density home range for L. lambis during the study period was estimated at 18,059 ± 3,298 m2 (n = 14). The mean home range was also estimated monthly and was found to be significantly larger in January (austral summer) than in the preceding October and November, likely a function of the reproductive cycle of L. lambis at CKI. Estimated home range size and animal size were not found to be correlated, and there were no observed differences between the sexes. The results show that, in an environment of preferable habitat with adequate resources, L. lambis have a home range that is relatively small when compared with studies of the Caribbean queen conch Lobatus gigas. The information on the spatial requirement and movement ecology for L. lambis at CKI from this study will assist with informing management techniques, not only for this fishery but also for other small conch fisheries worldwide.

Empowering conservation practice with efficient and economical genotyping from poor quality samples.

Moderate- to high-density genotyping (100 + SNPs) is widely used to determine and measure individual identity, relatedness, fitness, population structure and migration in wild populations.However, these important tools are difficult to apply when high-quality genetic material is unavailable. Most genomic tools are developed for high-quality DNA sources from laboratory or medical settings. As a result, most genetic data from market or field settings is limited to easily amplified mitochondrial DNA or a few microsatellites.To enable genotyping in conservation contexts, we used next-generation sequencing of multiplex PCR products from very low-quality DNA extracted from faeces, hair and cooked samples. We demonstrated utility and wide-ranging potential application in endangered wild tigers and tracking commercial trade in Caribbean queen conch.We genotyped 100 SNPs from degraded tiger samples to identify individuals, discern close relatives and detect population differentiation. Co-occurring carnivores do not amplify (e.g. Indian wild dog/dhole) or are monomorphic (e.g. leopard). Sixty-two SNPs from conch fritters and field-collected samples were used to test relatedness and detect population structure.We provide proof of concept for a rapid, simple, cost-effective and scalable method (for both samples and number of loci), a framework that can be applied to other conservation scenarios previously limited by low-quality DNA samples. These approaches provide a critical advance for wildlife monitoring and forensics, open the door to field-ready testing, and will strengthen the use of science in policy decisions and wildlife trade.

Snail leaps and bounds: drivers of the diel movement pattern of a large invertebrate, the Caribbean queen conch (Lobatus gigas), in a marginal inshore habitat

Understanding the relationship between the movements of animals and their environment is crucial for fisheries and species management. There is currently a lack of detailed information about the movement of slow-moving benthic species, especially for species of ecological or commercial importance. Here we document the relationship between diel movement and environmental parameters in a groundwater-fed coastal inlet for the queen conch (Lobatus gigas (Linnaeus, 1758)), an important fishery resource of the Caribbean region, using three-dimensional accelerometers and video cameras. Our results show immature queen conch (n = 9) spend most of their active time grazing, exhibiting two main distinct movements that we characterize as a leap and a drift that are mostly used to access new foraging resources. When overturned, they flip, producing a movement with the highest acceleration recorded to limit exposure and restore normal position. Movement patterns appear to be significantly affected by the oxygen concentration of the bottom water, with lower activity during low-oxygen levels in the morning (probability of 0.75 of observing 0 movement per hour) and maximum activity during the afternoon when oxygen concentration is at its maximum (probability of 0.80 of observing &gt;10 movements per hour). Salinity and temperature had little effect on movement patterns. Our results confirm that highly variable marginal habitats like groundwater-fed inlets are suitable for juvenile conch growth and should be included in efficient conservation plans.

A groundwater-fed coastal inlet as habitat for the Caribbean queen conch Lobatus gigas—an acoustic telemetry and space use analysis

The queen conch Lobatus (Strombus) gigas, a marine snail, is among the most important fisheries resources of the Caribbean region. To provide effective protection in marine reserves, a good understanding of its habitat usage is essential. Queen conches commonly inhabit marine habitats. In this study, its activity space in a marginal estuarine-like habitat, the groundwater-fed inlet of Xel-Ha (Mexico) was determined using high-resolution acoustic telemetry (VEMCO Positioning System). Thirty-eight animals with syphonal lengths ranging from 80 to 200 mm were tagged, 1 of them with an accelerometer tag. Their trajectories were recorded for 20 mo at 5 m resolution in a closely spaced array of 12 receivers. Space–time kernel home ranges ranged from 1000 to 18500 m2 with an ontogenetically increasing trend. Juveniles, subadults and most adults displayed continuous, non-patchy home ranges consistent with the typical intensive feeding activity by this fast-growing gastropod. In some adults, Levy flight-like fragmentation of home ranges was observed that may be related to feeding range expansion or other ecological drivers such as the breeding cycle. The observed small home ranges indicate that the space use of queen conch in this estuarine-like habitat is not conditioned by food availability, and despite environmental stress due to daily low-oxygen conditions, space use is comparable to that observed in more typical marine habitats. In a marine reserve context, the groundwater-fed inlet provides adequate protection of this inshore queen conch population. Such marginal habitats may play an increasingly important role in conservation management as pressure on populations increase.

Connectivity and genetic structure of the queen conch on the Mesoamerican Reef

The queen conch (Strombus gigas) is a commercially important marine invertebrate that is widely distributed throughout the western Atlantic, from Bermuda to Brazil. Intense exploitation has resulted in a decrease in population numbers of this species, which is listed as protected from commercial exploitation under IUCN and CITES. Previous studies on population genetics have demonstrated contrasting results in terms of the population structure of S. gigas. This research analyzed the genetic connectivity of the queen conch over a wide area of the Mesoamerican Reef System to determine whether S. gigas presents one panmictic population or a more complex structure. Furthermore, we evaluated the risk of local extinction by establishing the genetic diversity of the studied populations. High resolution was obtained for the five ISSR markers used for a total of 190 individuals, from seven localities along the Mesoamerican Reef. Our results reject the panmictic structure hypothesis for the queen conch in the study area and demonstrate genetic patchiness, indicating general homogeneity among localities that present an isolation-by-distance pattern. However, some genetic temporal variation was confirmed for the Cozumel locality. Furthermore, our results reveal self-recruitment for the Alacranes Reef aggregation and suggest sufficient connectivity with localities on the Caribbean coast to maintain high genetic diversity. With regard to genetic diversity, the results demonstrate that the queen conch is not genetically threatened in the study area. This is probably due to high annual recruitment within Caribbean queen conch aggregations, and suggests that S. gigas is a highly resilient organism. We advocate that the appropriate management of S. gigas (fishing quota and/or closed season) must be followed to attain a rapid recovery of queen conch populations. This study represents a fundamental step in the understanding of the dynamic population structure of S. gigas in the Mesoamerican Reef and is an important contribution toward improving the future management of this commercially protected species.

“I'm So Proud to Be Your Queen”

Abstract The image of black queens has a rich legacy within African diasporic discourse. This article examines Barbadian singer Alison Hinds's performance as Soca Queen. Hinds's prolific career spans decades. Her fans named her the Queen of Soca and she took on the designation, titling her first solo album Soca Queen and her second Caribbean Queen. I argue that Hinds uses the Queen trope as a diasporic resource, allowing her to negotiate diverse standards of respectability, femininity, and sensuality while offering herself as a representation of Barbados, the wider Caribbean region, and specifically the women within it. Such a performance draws on both Afrocentric reclamations of royalty and critical analyses that seek to do more than celebrate a mythic African past.

Modelling the effects of reserve size and fishing mortality for Caribbean queen conch Strombus gigas

ABSTRACT Overfishing has led to declines in many populations of Caribbean queen conch Strombus gigas, leading to its listing on CITES Appendix II. No‐take marine protected areas (MPA) are increasingly being used as a conservation tool for protecting stocks and sustaining fisheries. A reaction–diffusion model was developed to study queen conch population responses to various sizes of MPAs, differing spatial and temporal fishing mortalities, and fluctuating recruitment rates. Movement behaviour and demographic data from a protected conch population at Glover's Reef, Belize, were used to parameterize the model and assess simulation results. The model predicted increases in density ranging from 300% in an MPA encompassing one‐tenth of the total habitat area to 450% in an MPA encompassing half of the habitat, agreeing with field observations. Queen conch stock in the fishing zone was predicted to decline 6‐40% with MPAs encompassing proportions of 0.1–0.5 of habitat area. Spillover estimated from conch movement was expected to reduce these losses and supplement the fishery by 2–4%. Sensitivity analysis of fluctuating recruitment showed that larger reserves can sustain population buildup even with lower recruitment rates. Relatively small increases in recruitment rates can potentially reduce fishing losses to 0 from MPA closures. Opening MPAs to fishing periodically or permanently is expected to rapidly deplete the conch population in a fraction of the time necessary for the initial buildup at the current fishing mortality rate. These results support those of previous modelling studies but also showed complex dynamics for this case study. While MPAs reduce the stock available to the fishery, spillover can supplement the fishery, and increases in recruitment could increase fishery yield beyond pre‐MPA levels. With high fishing mortality, it would not be prudent to open MPAs to fishing for queen conch in any situation. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley &amp; Sons, Ltd.

Impending Trade Suspensions of Caribbean Queen Conch under CITES

Abstract The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) Authority issued injunctions in 2003 and 2004 to halt export trade of Caribbean queen conch (Strombus gigas) from several countries and initiated reviews of a number of other conch-producing countries. The current regulatory framework for regional conch fisheries has obviously failed to protect stocks. I present a case study of the Belize conch fishery to examine fishing impacts, effectiveness of existing regulations, and potential for population recovery. Fishery-independent data from a no-take marine reserve indicated that unfished density and biomass were nearly an order of magnitude greater than in comparable fished areas. Size structure of the protected population showed that an average of 38% of the legal catch may consist of juvenile conch. The spawning potential ratio indicated that the fished stock is severely overexploited, and furthermore, the protected population has not compensated to make the local fishery sustainab...

Evidence for Allee effects in an over-harvested marine gastropod: density-dependent mating and egg production

MEPS Marine Ecology Progress Series Contact the journal Facebook Twitter RSS Mailing List Subscribe to our mailing list via Mailchimp HomeLatest VolumeAbout the JournalEditorsTheme Sections MEPS 202:297-302 (2000) - doi:10.3354/meps202297 Evidence for Allee effects in an over-harvested marine gastropod: density-dependent mating and egg production Allan W. Stoner*, Melody Ray-Culp** Caribbean Marine Research Center, Lee Stocking Island Field Station, Exuma Cays, Bahamas Present addresses: *Fisheries Behavioral Ecology Program, Alaska Fisheries Science Center, NOAA, National Marine Fisheries Service, 2030 S. Marine Science Dr, Newport, Oregon 97365, USA. E-mail: al.stoner@hmsc.orst.edu **The Environmental Learning Center, 255 Live Oak Dr, Vero Beach, Florida 32963, USA ABSTRACT: Conservation programs often focus on studying extinction risks encountered by small populations and determining minimum population sizes below which they cannot recover. In certain cases, per capita rates of population growth become negative at low population density. This ŒAllee effect¹ (or Œdepensation¹) is rarely considered in marine systems. We conducted surveys of adult density, reproductive behavior, and spawning in natural populations of Caribbean queen conch Strombus gigas at 2 locations in the Exuma Cays, Bahamas, to test for Allee effects. Mating never occurred when density was <56 conch ha-1, and spawning never occurred at <48 conch ha-1, clearly demonstrating the operation of depensatory mechanisms. Reproductive behavior then increased rapidly to asymptotes at densities near 200 conch ha-1. Heavily exploited populations of queen conch in the Caribbean have been slow to recover despite fishery closures. Failure to recover could result from spawning stock densities that are reduced to the point at which Allee effects begin to operate on reproductive behavior. KEY WORDS: Conservation · Depensation · Fisheries management · Reproduction · Spawning · Strombus gigas Full text in pdf format PreviousNextExport citation RSS - Facebook - Tweet - linkedIn Cited by Published in MEPS Vol. 202. Online publication date: August 28, 2000 Print ISSN: 0171-8630; Online ISSN: 1616-1599 Copyright © 2000 Inter-Research.