Checking in again! One of the most meaningful projects we’ve worked on so far has been our Queen Conch (Aliger gigas) population surveys for NOAA. These gastropods are benthic herbivores, eating algae and plant material in multiple habitats, but specifically in seagrass beds and reefs. The species is known for being a highly sought after cuisine; people hunt and harvest them to eat, which in areas where conchs gather has led to overharvesting and a subsequent reduced ability for them to breed. Specifically, commercial fishing and illegal harvesting of these creatures has led to their direct population decline. They are a magnificent example of the size that invertebrates are able to reach, being one of the largest gastropods in the world!
We were tasked with surveying for the Queen Conch in the areas that we frequent around Isla Magueyes, which will allow us to determine their population sizes and densities, to hopefully get data on their decline and the results of human overharvesting.
Using our radial transects across many different habitat types (reef, seagrass, sand, etc.), we searched for living members of this threatened species in areas around the cayos of La Parguera; specifically at sites like Enrique and Mata La Gata.
Seeing this firsthand was a bit disheartening, especially finding harvested empty shells that were way under the legal limit, but it also enforced why conservation monitoring and management is so important.
We've also been connecting with the researchers behind the project and learning about the details of how our data is helping the whole study, which has been super exciting as our impact is noticeable!
Overall, I'm looking forward to conducting more of these surveys and hoping we can find so many more!
-Ryan :)
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