Lobster Farming in Turks and Caicos may be part of Islands’ Future
Lobster aquaculture should be a very real part of the future of Turks and Caicos, after an advisory council gave the Darden research project the thumbs up, granting a 5-year extension on the project permit.
The research project was conceived in October 2007 when the former Cabinet approved plans to partner with the Darden Restaurant Group, which agreed to invest up to $10M in the research. To date Darden has spent 18 months in the TCI conducting preliminary research in South Caicos.
Scientists from Darden will spend the next five years determining if the TCI is a suitable environment for cultivating Caribbean Spiny Lobster. The permit allows the group to set up a small aquaculture nursery and attempt to grow out lobster following extensive research on “physical parameters.”
And if they deem the islands’ waters an appropriate habitat, the restaurant group may set up the country’s first lobster farm, and sell the popular seafood in its restaurants. The project has the potential to replenish TCI’s lobster stocks and provide vital employment for local fishermen.
The Darden Restaurant Group owns some of America’s top eateries including Red Lobster, Olive Garden, and Longhorn Steakhouse.