Conch Season in Belize
Conch (pronounced conk and rhymes with honk) season in Belize is October 1 to June 30. To preserve the conch, the Belize fisheries sets a quota on the conch. Many times, though, the season closes early because the conch quota is met. So, don’t hesitate. If you see conch on the menu, get it! Conch is a staple on the cayes and the coast. It is prepared in many ways, including ceviche, fritters, and soup.
The Queen conch is a snail that moves around the bottom of the ocean. Only licensed fishermen can catch them legally. The government of Belize is working to preserve the conch as it has been declining for several decades. In earlier times, fishermen went out in dories (wooden boats) and brought the conch back to land to clean them. Now, many fishermen remove the “meat” or the conch out at sea and leave the shells behind. This allows them to collect more meat rather than bringing back the cumbersome and heavy shell. There is a caye (the name given to a tiny island in Belize, pronounced key) off the southern coast that is made up of conch shells. Over the years, the fishermen piled them all in one place to create “land.” They have also added a little shack to protect them from the elements, so they can spend the night out, increasing their catch.
Removing conch from its shell is not an easy task. The fishermen use a knife and make a slit in the shell and pull the conch out. Fresh conch may be enjoyed as ceviche. While everyone has their own special recipe, most ceviches include tomatoes, onions, fresh lime juice, jalapenos, cilantro, and Marie Sharp’s. Prepared in other fashions, the conch must be beaten with a mallet to soften it up. Otherwise, the conch is tough and does not taste good. We’ve heard of chefs beating the conch for hours. One of the most popular ways to enjoy conch is in a soup, served with white rice or fresh bread. It’s a rich roux with some vegetables. But again, no two are alike as everyone puts their own unique spin on the dish.
The fritters are all different as well. Some taste more like hush puppies, while others are more like a crab cake consistency, served with a sauce. While a plate of conch fritters is a feature item at restaurants, there are many adults and children that sell a single conch fritter, out of five-gallon buckets, for .50US/$1BZ.
*Did you know that five-gallon buckets are called pig tale buckets in Belize? Belizeans consume more pig tales than other country in the world. Most of these buckets, filled with the tales of pigs, are packaged and sent from Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A. Afterwards, the buckets are used by Belizeans to sell foods of all varieties, including conch fritters.
*Take a photo, not a shell. Did you know it is illegal to take back shells, including conch shells, in your luggage or on a plane?
