John,
 
Queen Conch used to be "farm raised" in Belize, on Ambergris Caye, but I
think the facility is now closed. It's hard to keep government funding on
these things long enough to make them pay! Farms are (or were) also on
Bonaire and Puerto Rico. Many of the conch farms are run by students of Dr
Scott Sidall of the U of Miami Rosenthiels School.
 
The conch farms harvest newly laid eggs and raise them through the veliger
stage and until they are about 3 inches long, then release them. I have
some tagged conch which were released and didn't make it. There are still
lots of predators for conchs that size.
 
Peggy
 
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                                  Peggy Williams
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