MAthew Robinson, also known as YouTube’s Jamaican Food Boss, creates vlogs about popular cuisines from Jamaica and other parts of the Caribbean. In three videos, he introduced viewers to conch, the signature food of the Bahamas. Conch shells are synonymous with the Caribbean with their distinctive spiral shells, and grace many mantelpieces as souvenirs of visits to the region.
“I cut it into small pieces so that every bite of the salad has a conch in it,” Robinson explains, describing the actions of a skilled chef who deftly chops the whites. The flesh of the creature, fresh out of the sea, was still moving when he picked it up.
“I’m really excited about this. This is one of my favorite meals,” Robinson said. He bought a “regular” salad with tomatoes, onions, and bell peppers, and a “tropical” salad that also included chopped mango and pineapple.
The chef held out a long, thin tube to him. It trembled and looked like a translucent insect. Robinson explained that this is part of the intestines of a snail and is thought to be an aphrodisiac called Pistol or Bahamian Viagra. Robinson tipped his head back and slid the tube down his throat.
“It doesn’t have much flavor,” he reported. “This is what the Bahamas is known for, and what I’ve heard is a must-have when venturing here.”
In the video, Robinson tried other popular conch dishes, conch fritters and cracked conch. The latter were dipped in batter and fried to look like chicken nuggets. “It’s very addictive, just like the name,” Robinson said.
The conch, or more precisely the queen conch, is an integral part of the Bahamian cultural identity. The shell, which is faded orange on the outside and pearly pink on the inside, is part of the country’s coat of arms. Our online list of must-try Bahamian dishes includes several conch dishes. Thousands of Bahamians make a living by eating conch and other seafood directly or indirectly.
“There is no Bahamas without snails,” Lindy Knowles, a senior scientific officer at the conservation NGO Bahamas National Trust, said in an Associated Press article last year about the decline in queen snail numbers in Bahamian waters.
Other articles have been published over the years warning of the risks facing this species. Experts now estimate that queen conch is unlikely to become a viable industry within just six years.
TThe problem is overfishing, which affects many species important to local diets and cultures. Overfishing not only removes too many adult fish, but also removes too many young fish that have not yet reproduced, leading to overall population decline. As a result, Caribbean governments and NGOs are taking steps to protect animals whose loss could strike at the heart of Caribbean society and economy.
Nassau grouper, named after the capital of the Bahamas, is used to make grouper fingers. Cut the fish into thin pieces, coat and fry. However, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has classified this fish as an endangered species.
Meanwhile, the spiny lobster, or crayfish, which lacks large claws and is prized primarily for its tail, is the Bahamas’ largest seafood export, with the industry valued at US$90 million.
In Jamaica, red snapper is preferred to make the unique Escovich fish. The fish is coated with seasonings such as allspice, fried, and then marinated in a dipping sauce made with various vegetables such as peppers and onions.
You can also use parrot fish instead. But both parrotfish and snapper, like groupers, are important fish for maintaining coral reefs, which is a cause for concern for environmental watchdogs. Coral reefs, a major tourist attraction, are also being diminished by human activity.
In Trinidad and Tobago, Bake and Shark is legendary. It’s a large round fried pastry stuffed with slices of fried shark meat and topped with a variety of toppings and seasonings, and is enjoyed by most people at Maracas Beach on Trinidad’s north coast.
Similarly, Bermuda’s traditional shark hash is made by frying shredded shark meat in shark liver oil with onions, pepper, and other seasonings.
However, many shark species are listed as endangered or endangered. Sharks are apex predators, so a decline in their numbers destabilizes the entire marine ecosystem and damages many other Caribbean fish stocks, including those already mentioned in this article.
The region’s biggest challenge is illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, said Natalie Miaoulis Meiris, a conservation NGO based in the United States and working around the world. She was speaking on an online show. caribbean style.
“IUU fishing is one of the biggest threats to fisheries sustainability in the region. We lack the capacity and resources to enforce fishing rules and regulations, and this leads to many illegal activities. It’s connected,” she explained. “Forces from other countries are invading our country, breaking our laws, illegally fishing and logging, and putting even more pressure on our resources.”
Of course, local fishermen also contribute to overfishing. Miaoulis-Maillis likens this to using a bank account without keeping track of how much money is withdrawn from the account and how much remains in the account.
“If we don’t know how many fishermen are participating in the fishery, how many people depend on it, and how much we’re removing from the ocean, we have no idea how to properly manage the fishery.” I really don’t understand,” she says. “This is a big problem for our region compared to other countries that have very good data collection and recording mechanisms.”
SMeasures the region has taken to protect its fisheries include marine management/protected areas or protected areas that allow law enforcement to focus limited resources on areas that are key to the reproduction or nursery of a species; is included. Total ban or seasonal ban (the latter coincides with the breeding schedule). Prohibition of certain activities such as spear-fishing and the use of small nets. To prevent the removal of young fish, fish must be of a certain size.
Jamaica has 18 protected areas, including Pedro Bank, where the majority of the island’s queen snail population is found. After a two-year total ban on conch fishing, a five-month seasonal fishing ban was introduced in 2021. The catch limit is 300 tons for large vessels and 50 tons for artisans.
In a sign that these efforts are having some success, the Jamaican Conch Cluster, an amalgamation of companies that sell most of Jamaica’s conch shellfish, is being developed by the Marine Stewardship Council, an NGO that assesses the sustainability of fisheries. It has been certified by the Society (MSC). It is pasted on the label. It makes seafood more appealing to discerning customers.
The Bahamas spiny lobster fishery is also MSC certified. Adrian Laroda, Chairman of the Bahamas Commercial Fishermen’s Alliance, said: nassau guardian He said 2024 will be a “year of good harvest for spiny lobster fishermen,” and that this is due to a decline in poaching.
The Bahamas has protected areas and is operated by the Bahamas Marine Resources Authority, the Ministry of Agriculture and Marine Resources, the Department of National Security, the Royal Bahamas Police Force, Customs and Immigration Services, the Royal Bahamas Defense Force, the National Fishermen’s Association and other fishing organizations.
The Cayman Islands used similar measures to save its depleting Nassau grouper fishery. And this success offers hope to fisheries that are still struggling, including Bermuda’s spiny lobster. The country’s government has imposed catch limits and seasonal fishing bans, as well as regulations to protect the shark population.
Given the importance of fishing, failure is not an option. “If we want sustainable oceans, if we want healthy communities, we always need to look at how we can improve fisheries management,” said Nathalie Miaulis Mailis. “Because it is such an important foundation for the sustainability of our region.”
gourmet resolution
As the new year approaches, now is the perfect time to recommit to sustainable food choices to protect the marine environment for generations to come. Here’s a handy seafood guide:
- Sustainable: Karite, flying fish, lionfish, dolphinfish, squid, wahoo
- It’s much less sustainable. Atlantic black croaker/croaker, snails (especially if not farmed), horse mackerel (unless hand-fished), amberjack, lobster (avoid if less than 4 inches), tuna (unless line-caught)
- Unsustainable: Grouper, marlin, parrotfish, shark, shrimp, snapper, swordfish.
