Queen Conch Stock Assessment and Management Workshop. Held in Belize City, Belize211 on March 15-22, 1999

摘要

This report covers the methods, progress, results and conclusions of an211u001einternational workshop on assessment of queen conch, (Strombus gigas). The 211u001eworkshop was held in Belize City, Belize, 15-22 March 1999. It was sponsored by 211u001ethe Caribbean Fishery Management Council (CFMC) and the CARICOM Fisheries 211u001eResource Assessment and Management Program (CFRAMP) as part of the International 211u001eQueen Conch Initiative. Queen conch is found throughout the Caribbean and forms 211u001ean important food for many local communities. It has been traditionally fished 211u001efor many years, but has come under increasing strain as an export market has 211u001edeveloped. Demand for conch has increased in the USA, and, with the decline of 211u001ethe Florida fishery and its closure, has largely been satisfied by imports. This 211u001ehas led to concern expressed over the status of stocks in the region and to the 211u001elisting of queen conch under CITES Appendix II. Among other things, this requires 211u001ea fishery management plan and competent scientific authority to provide advice on 211u001eeach fishery which exports conch. Stock assessment has therefore become 211u001eincreasingly important to sustain the conch fisheries of the region.