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Density, growth and recruitment of queen conch (Strombus gigas L.) was monthly evaluated in a three hectare plot from February 1992 to February 1993. Temperature, dissolved oxygen and salinity were recorded from the water column. Sediment grain size and organic matter content were measured. Apparently, sediment composition and plant cover are important for the presence of S. gigas. Mean density was 0.0052 ± 0.023 individuals m-2, with juveniles dominating numerically. Recruitment had a bimodal distribution, with peaks in March and December. Using the capture-recapture method, a mean growth of 4.93 ± 2.47 mm/month was calculated. The population size was 415 individuals, too small for commercial exploitation. Punta Gavilan should be protected because biological conditions there are unique and represent a high quality environment for the conch. Inglés