Journal article
Conservation of exploited sea cucumbers: advances, initiatives and knowledge gaps
Cahiers de biologie marine, Vol.65(4), pp.287-295
02/10/2024
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Abstract
Sea cucumbers have been harvested and consumed by Chinese and other Asian populations for a thousand years. Fisheries captures to service Asian seafood markets progressively extended to countries in the tropical Pacific, then the Indian Ocean and more recently to the rest of the world. The tropical fisheries are mostly artisanal and multi-species focused, while temperate ones focus on fewer species and are more industrialized. The number of exploited species has increased greatly in recent decades to reach more than 80. Fisheries have often followed a ‘boom-and-bust’ cycle. Illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) harvesting is widespread, especially in low-income countries. Some of the highly sought-after species have been overfished to critically low densities in many localities. Conservation issues have increasingly been raised and research developed on holothuroids, both at the species level, on taxonomy, biology and ecology and at the ecosystem level, on biodiversity, fisheries, aquaculture and markets. Advances in conservation are being facilitated by the efforts of international bodies, including FAO, CITES, IUCN, as well as regional ones such as SPC and WIOMSA, and national research and fisheries administrations across the globe. Many knowledge gaps remain regarding maintaining and restoring sea cucumber population resilience, the data and information gaps, regions of interest and species at risk. Here, we propose research and steps that might help to refine and put in action the processes / instruments necessary for better conservation.
Details
- Title
- Conservation of exploited sea cucumbers: advances, initiatives and knowledge gaps
- Creators
- Chantal Conand - Muséum national d'Histoire naturelleSteven W Purcell - National Marine Science Centre, Southern Cross University, Coffs HarbourJean-Francois Hamel - Society for the Exploration and Valuing of the Environment (Canada, Newfoundland)Anne Mercier - Memorial University (Canada, Newfoundland)Marie Di Simone - Muséum national d'Histoire naturelleArnaud Horellou - Muséum national d'Histoire naturelleKim Friedman - Food and Agriculture Organization of the United NationsAlessandro Lovatelli - Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
- Publication Details
- Cahiers de biologie marine, Vol.65(4), pp.287-295
- Publisher
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique; ROSCOFF
- Identifiers
- 991013246561102368
- Academic Unit
- Faculty of Science and Engineering; National Marine Science Centre
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Journal article