Enhancing Capacity for Sustainable Trade of Queen Conch in the Eastern Caribbean Country Case Study

The queen conch (Strombus gigas) or “lambi” is a large marine shellfish renowned as one of the Caribbean’s most iconic and valuable fishery resources strongly linked to the region’s culture and economy. As a result of uncontrolled harvesting and illegal landings, the queen conch was listed in Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) in 1992, which means that its international trade is regulated to ensure it is legal, sustainable, and traceable.

The Eastern Caribbean States acknowledge that achieving sustainable trade of queen conch at the value chain level can promote environmental, social, and economic development in the region, as well as lay the foundations for best practices in other ocean economy value chains.