Relationships between Queen Conch Larval Biology and Recruitment, Connectivity, and Fishery Management

Abstract The queen conch (Aliger gigas) is an important fishery resource species in the Caribbean region, increasingly threatened by overharvest. The species’ life history is characterized by density-dependent reproduction, benthic egg masses, and a 2-4-week planktotrophic period with potential for long-distance dispersal. This review focuses on veliger growth, development, and settlement, especially as related to environmental variables, and larval duration and behavior relevant to transport. More than 3000 plankton collections for queen conch made throughout the region show that most veligers occur in the upper water column during the warmest season, with evidence for a positive association between abundance of late-stage veligers and subsequent abundance of juveniles in nursery grounds. Biophysical models based upon the best information on veliger duration and vertical movement yield predictions on population connectivity and can be used in design for networks of marine protected areas. While the earliest genetic studies suggested an open panmictic Caribbean population, more recent molecular genetic results show that populations exhibit a continuum-like structure, and self-recruitment occurs in certain localities. The current state of knowledge of early life history and connectivity for queen conch is discussed in terms of recruitment potential, climate change, and management for sustainable fisheries.