JAMAICA has made history as the first and only Marine Stewardship Council (MSC)-certified conch fishery in the world.

The announcement was made during the official closing out of the Jamaica Conch Competitiveness Project, where stakeholders gathered to celebrate the success of a multifaceted initiative supported by Compete Caribbean, a private sector development programme that backs innovative and practical solutions to promote economic growth and development across the Caribbean, in partnership with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), and the governments of Canada and the United Kingdom.

“MSC certification is not just a blue label on a package,” said Roderick Francis, Jamaica Conch Cluster lead, during his address.

“It represents a commitment to the environment, to the people of Jamaica, and to a future of economic sustainability for generations to come. This certification guarantees that Jamaica’s conch fishery meets the highest global standards for sustainability and responsible fishing,” added Francis.

The project, while anchored in achieving MSC certification, spans three impactful components: MSC certification and environmental sustainability, legislative and organisational reform, and value addition and market expansion.

This achievement positions Jamaica as a global leader in marine conservation, ensuring that its conch fishery can support sustainable livelihoods while protecting marine ecosystems.

“Recognising the fragmented nature of small-scale fisheries, the project has laid the groundwork for a new legal framework that incentivises fishers to collaborate rather than compete individually. This reform promises a more cohesive, resilient industry,” Francis explained.

Through extensive market research and global consultancy, the project identified premium canning, dubbed the “Caviare of the Caribbean”, as a high-value growth opportunity.

A prototype product has already been developed with the aid of international partners, and early taste tests have been met with enthusiasm and promise.

According to Francis, despite these successes, the journey is just beginning.

“We are still in the incubation phase. We need continued support, from government ministries, industry stakeholders, and international partners, to bring this vision to life, get products to market, and put Jamaican conch on menus around the world,” said Francis

Speaking at the closing-out ceremony Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining Floyd Green emphasised the broader significance of the milestone.

“We gather, not just to celebrate but truly bear witness to what vision, partnership and unwavering commitment can achieve,” Green said.

He underscored the national importance of the conch industry, noting that, “our queen conch commercial fishery is one of the most important fisheries that we have. It provides employment to an estimated 2,000 persons and, indirectly, about 7,000 persons”.

Green also spoke to the tangible economic potential unlocked through certification.

“We believe that we are now well positioned to claim our share of price premiums that MSC-certified seafood commands. Beyond economics, however, this blue label represents something far more profound; it is proof of what we’ve set out to achieve to balance economic growth with environmental stewardship,” added Green.

Earlier this year B&D Trawling made the inaugural shipment of MSC-certified queen conch to the Cayman Islands.

Traditionally, the Jamaican queen conch has been exported to Martinique and Guadeloupe, but the shipment to the Cayman Islands marked a significant breakthrough into markets previously dominated by lower-priced conch from neighbouring countries.