FAU Queen Conch Mobile Lab

The Florida Atlantic University Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute's Mobile Queen Conch Lab (20’ x 8’) is fully equipped to grow queen conch from egg mass stage to early juvenile stage. The Lab is designed to operate on solar power with backup batteries and inverter. The saltwater growing systems can either have water flow-through or recirculation. The aeration system provides circulation for the larval tanks.

The Lab has the capacity to grow up to 2,000 conch per year, 4-10 mm in shell size. An additional nursery tank area would be required to grow the conch to a larger size of 7-8 cm. Additional optional features of the Lab include a microalgae culture area and/or an educational display area.

This unit can be shipped to any Caribbean nation where a relationship with strategic partners and community members is established and maintained. FAU Harbor Branch will provide training, resource materials for local staff, and ongoing technical support to assist with the success of the Lab.

The first Mobile Queen Conch Lab concept was developed and built for Great Exuma, Bahamas, in a partnership with FAU Harbor Branch and Catherine Booker of Green Island Blue Ocean with funding from the Richard Schneider Trust.