During a work trip for caye inspections in Belize, I was struck by the sheer number of conch shells that littered the white-sand beaches. I saw conch shells doubling as property dividers, as pathways, and even as a sort of natural sandbag to help with beach erosion. I heard tales of the beautiful pink conch pearl – the rarest of nature’s pearls – sometimes found inside the meat, extremely valuable and coveted by those harvesting them. Legal harvesting of Belize’s queen conch is from October to June, and subject to a variety of regulations. Conchs play an important role in the ocean ecosystem, so when you're traveling in Belize, avoid eating conch out of season, and avoid buying whole conch shells if you feel it was harvested solely for this purpose. Do purchase conch crafts made by artisans, or take a photo like I did — one morning on Glover’s Reef, admiring the beautiful pink pearly quality of the inner shell and wistfully wishing I could stay just a little longer keeping this queen company.

Stephanie Kowacz

Chief Operating Officer, Holbrook Travel

Belize