Conch

Conch refers to any of a number of medium-to-large sea snails whose shells are about 95 percent calcium carbonate, with a high spire and a distinct siphonal canal. Alongside non-food uses such as musical instruments and religious objects, conch meat is eaten raw in salads or cooked in burgers, chowders, fritters and gumbos. It is especially prominent in the Caribbean and West Indies, most notably the Bahamas, Turks and Caicos and Jamaica, where conch fritters have been called the Bahamas own original fast food; it also appears in Caribbean curries, spicy soups and ceviches, Italian salads and pasta sauces, and Asian dishes where it is sliced and steamed or stir-fried. About 80 percent of queen conch meat in international trade is imported into the United States, though harvesting is now prohibited in Florida waters for conservation reasons.