On the island of Providenciales lies a place that is one of a kind, a farm that is like no other, that harvests sea-creatures whose shells are famously used as musical instruments. Such is the nature of the Caicos Conch Farm, which was formed with a vision of pioneering conch development and thus creating jobs, stimulating the economy, protecting conch stocks from exploitation and to provide a low-cost source of protein to the people of the Caribbean.
The Caicos Islands are a tourist hotspot, and contains many of the finest luxury resorts in the Caribbean. One such resort, Parrot Cay by COMO, Turks & Caicos Islands has to offer is located on Providenciales itself, making it a very convenient base for international travelers looking to visit the Caicos Conch Farm.
The farm encompasses ten acres of beautiful seaside property that is owned by the company itself, and a further sixty five acres of underwater pasture that has been under lease from the government for the past ninety seven years. The facility is state of the art and contains all the resources necessary to efficiently and humanely reproduce and develop the unique creatures the company is dedicated to. The Queen Conch is a staple in Caribbean cuisine, and has been so for more than a thousand years due to the rich protein content of the meat. The natives of the land had further utilized the shell of the Queen Conch to craft weapons and tools, jewelry and ceremonial objects, as well as using converting the shell into a musical instrument. Due to over-fishing, the Queen Conch is currently listed as a commercially endangered species, one that the Caicos Farm is working hard to preserve.
As of 2014, the Caicos farm has been investing in projects that will revolutionise under-water farming as well as the ethics that are associated with it. So if you happen to find yourself in the Caribbean, witness history in the making, at the Caicos Conch Farm.
Thanuja Silva is a travel writer who writes under the pen name Auburn Silver. She has a passion for fashion and a deep interest in admiring new and exotic attractions around the world.