Sea cucumber fisheries: global analysis of stocks,management measures and drivers of overfishing

Worldwide, most sea cucumber fisheries are ineffectively managed, leading to declining stocks and potentially eroding the resilience of fisheries. We analyse trends in catches, fishery status, fishing participation and regulatory measures among 77 sea cucumber fisheries through data from recent fishery reports and fishery managers. Critical gaps in fisheries biology knowledge of even commonly targeted species undermine the expected success of management strategies. Most tropical fisheries are small‐scale, older and typified by numerous (>8) species, whereas temperate fisheries are often emerging, mono‐specific and industrialized. Fisher participation data indicated about 3 million sea cucumber fishers worldwide. Fisher participation rates were significantly related to the average annual yield. permanova analysis showed that over‐exploited and depleted fisheries employed different sets of measures than fisheries with healthier stocks, and a non‐metric multidimensional scaling ordination illustrated that a broad set of regulatory measures typified sustainable fisheries. SIMPER and regression tree analyses identified that the dissimilarity was most related to enforcement capacity, number of species harvested, fleet (vessel) controls, limited entry controls and rotational closures. The national Human Development Index was significantly lower in countries with over‐exploited and depleted fisheries. Where possible, managers should limit the number of fishers and vessel size and establish short lists of permissible commercial species in multispecies fisheries. Our findings emphasize an imperative to support the enforcement capacity in low‐income countries, in which risk of biodiversity loss is exceptionally high. Solutions for greater resilience of sea cucumber stocks must be embedded within those for poverty reduction and alternative livelihood options.     

Serial exploitation of global sea cucumber fisheries

In recent decades, invertebrate fisheries have expanded in catch and value worldwide. One increasingly harvested group is sea cucumbers (class Holothuroidea), which are highly valued in Asia and sold as trepang or bêche‐de‐mer. We compiled global landings, economic data, and country‐specific assessment and management reports to synthesize global trends in sea cucumber fisheries, evaluate potential drivers, and test for local and global serial exploitation patterns. Although some sea cucumber fisheries have existed for centuries, catch trends of most individual fisheries followed boom‐and‐bust patterns since the 1950s, declining nearly as quickly as they expanded. New fisheries expanded five to six times faster in 1990 compared to 1960 and at an increasing distance from Asia, encompassing a global fishery by the 1990s. Global sea cucumber production was correlated to the Japanese yen at a leading lag. Regional assessments revealed that population declines from overfishing occurred in 81% of sea cucumber fisheries, average harvested body size declined in 35%, harvesters moved from near‐ to off‐shore regions in 51% and from high‐ to low‐value species in 76%. Thirty‐eight per cent of sea cucumber fisheries remained unregulated, and illegal catches were of concern in half. Our results suggest that development patterns of sea cucumber fisheries are largely predictable, often unsustainable and frequently too rapid for effective management responses. We discuss potential ecosystem and human community consequences and urge for better monitoring and reporting of catch and abundance, proper scientific stock assessment and consideration of international trade regulations to ensure long‐term and sustainable harvesting of sea cucumbers worldwide.     

国内外海参自然资源、养殖状况及存在问题

海参含有丰富的蛋白质和黏多糖,营养和药用价值极高。自20世纪80年代以来,海参的几种重要商业品种的苗种培育在日本、中国和印度等国家相继获得成功。近年来,海参消费需求的逐步扩大导致世界范围内海参自然资源的过度开发和种群数量的急剧下降,海参的人工养殖随之兴起。目前,国内海参养殖规模不断扩大,养殖方式多种多样。然而养殖的过速发展和不规范运作也造成了如生态环境恶化、病害等诸多问题。本文综述了国内外海参的自然资源、种群分布,以及目前海参主要养殖品种的苗种培育和增养殖技术要点,就海参养殖中存在的主要问题进行了探讨并提出了相应的对策。     

Microsatellite genetic variation in wild and hatchery populations of the sea cucumber (Apostichopus japonicus Selenka) from northern China

Farming of the sea cucumber Apostichopus japonicus (Selenka) started 20 years ago and is still in rapid expansion in China. In order to assess the genetic status of both wild and cultivated stocks of this species, we used eight microsatellite markers to estimate the level of genetic diversity within five hatchery stocks and two wild populations of A. japonicus, and compared the degree of genetic differentiation between them. High levels of polymorphism were observed over all loci. The mean alleles and expected heterozygosities over the seven stocks were 10.4–12.3 and 0.735–0.783 respectively. The results of the microsatellite survey provide no evidence to show that hatchery practice of the sea cucumber in China to date has significantly affected the genetic variability of the cultured stocks. Significant differentiation was found between most pairs of the hatchery stocks and wild populations (F_st range: 0.008–0.036), and no obvious difference was detected between the wild populations (F_st=0.008). The information on the genetic variation and differentiation obtained in this study can be applied for future genetic monitoring of A. japonicus aquaculture stocks and will be useful for future genetic improvement by selective breeding, and for designing suitable management guidelines for these genetic materials.     

The sea cucumber fishery in Australia's Great Barrier Reef Marine Park follows global patterns of serial exploitation

Tropical sea cucumber fisheries follow a predictable pattern of serial depletion. Overfishing is exacerbated in developing countries where management systems lack capacity to control large numbers of fishers influenced by poverty. In contrast, the tropical sea cucumber fishery in Australia's World Heritage listed Great Barrier Reef Marine Park (GBRMP) is operating in a developed high‐income country with relatively few licensed fishers to manage. The development of this fishery is reviewed here in a meta‐analysis of catches from 1991 to 2011. The fishery expanded to replace high‐value teatfish species (Holothuria whitmaei and H. fuscogilva), fished heavily in initial stages of the fishery, with newly commercialized medium‐value species such as burying blackfish (Actinopyga spinea) and curryfish (Stichopus herrmanni). These two species now constitute 80% of total catch. The annual average catch of burying blackfish was 208 tonnes years 2004–11 and curryfish catches increased rapidly at an average annual pace of 200% from 2007–11. This serial harvest pattern occurred in the absence of baseline studies and without independent resource assessments, information required to inform relevant harvest predictions and to determine fishery impacts. This situation does not support ecologically relevant and adaptive decision‐making in management and the unfolding catch patterns in the GBRMP follow those in low‐income developing countries. The missing knowledge and lack of data serve as arguments to support precautionary reductions in harvests and extending fallow periods in fishing zones.     

国内外海参养殖技术研究概况

由于海参具有很高的营养价值和药用价值,被人们视为重要的海珍品,因而具有较高的经济价值。近年来,海参消费需求量的逐年增加导致了世界范围内海参自然资源的过度开发和种群数量的急剧下降,因此,海参的人工养殖也随之发展起来。本文对现阶段国内外海参养殖技术的研究现状进行介绍,以期为海参养殖提供理论依据。     

Population dynamics of the exploited sea cucumber Isostichopus fuscus in the western Galápagos Islands, Ecuador

Long-term density data for the sea cucumber, Isostichopus fuscus, from Canal Bolivar (separating western Isabela and eastern Fernandina Islands), Galápagos, were compared with catch statistics and used in a stock depletion model to determine the extent of the effects of the fishery on the existing population and the potential for the population to recover after each fishing season. Recruitment indices were found to be low from 1994 until mid-1999, when a mass recruitment event was registered and numbers of small individuals increased dramatically. The increase in density of juveniles peaked in 2001 and has declined since. Recruitment in this species of sea cucumber appears to be highly sporadic and may depend on intense climatic events such as the warm El Niño. Current levels of fishing activity are unsustainable. The management implications of pulse recruitment in this fishery are discussed.     

水产动物种质创制新技术及在海参、海胆遗传育种中的应用

随着现代遗传育种理论和生物技术的不断发展与创新,水产育种技术也开始从传统的选择育种、杂交育种技术,逐渐向与分子标记辅助育种、细胞工程育种、全基因组选择育种、分子设计育种、性别控制、基因转移以及基因编辑等现代分子辅助育种技术相结合的方向发展.虽然,我国水产种业已经形成并蓬勃发展,但仍存在良种覆盖率低、研究深度不够等问题和...     

Is it good or bad to fish with FADs? What are the real impacts of the use of drifting FADs on pelagic marine ecosystems?

The use of fish aggregating devices (FADs) by purse seine fisheries has come under increasing criticism for its potential deleterious impacts on tuna stocks, for high levels of by‐catch and threats to the biodiversity of tropical pelagic ecosystems. Here, we review the current state of scientific knowledge of this fishing technique and current management strategies. Our intent is to encourage objective discussion of the topic and highlight areas worthy of future research. We show that catching juvenile tuna around FADs does not necessarily result in overfishing of stocks, although more selective fishing techniques would likely help obtain higher yield. Levels of non‐tuna by‐catch are comparable to or less than in other commercial tuna fisheries and are primarily comprised of species that are not considered threatened. Accordingly, to minimize impacts on ecosystem balance, there is merit in considering that all species captured in purse seine fisheries (excluding vulnerable species such as turtles and sharks) should be retained, but the consequences of such a measure should be carefully examined before implementation. The take of vulnerable species could be further reduced by introduction of additional mitigation measures, but their potential benefits would be limited without parallel efforts with other gears. Finally, there is no unequivocal empirical evidence that FADs represent an ‘ecological trap’ that inherently disrupts tuna biology although further research should focus on this issue. We encourage RFMOs to expand and improve their FAD management plans. Under appropriate management regimes, FAD fishing could be an ecologically and economically sensible fishing method.     

16种商品海参16S rRNA的PCR-RFLP鉴定方法

基于570 by左右的线粒体16S rRNA基因片段,利用3种核酸内切酶(Dde I,Hae III和Sty I)对16种海参PCR产物进行酶切,分别产生10种、5种和5种单倍型,通过单倍型的组合,即能有效区分16种海参的种类.运用此方法对19种商品海参(包括冻品和干品)进行鉴定,结果表明,9种产品属于错误贴标.本研究建立的PCR-RFLP方法方便、有效,可靠,可为海参产品评估、进出口种类鉴定提供实用高效的方法.本研究旨在为市场海参产品贴标情况的评估提供技术支撑.     

Co‐management in Latin American small‐scale shellfisheries: assessment from long‐term case studies

Co‐management (Co‐M), defined as the sharing of management tasks and responsibilities between governments and local users, is emerging as a powerful institutional arrangement to redress fisheries paradigm failures, yet long‐term assessments of its performance are lacking. A comparative analysis of five small‐scale Latin American shellfisheries was conducted to identify factors suggesting success and failure. In Chile, Uruguay and Mexico Co‐M produced positive effects, including stabilization of landings at low levels, increase in abundance, CPUE, unit prices and revenues per unit of effort, and reduced interannual variability in several fishery indicators, particularly in landings. Co‐M was successful because it was mainly bottom‐up implemented and accompanied by‐catch shares (spatial property rights and community quotas). By contrast, Co‐M implementation was unable to prevent the collapse of the Galapagos sea cucumber fishery, as reflected by a decrease in abundance and CPUE. Negative effects were also observed in the Galapagos spiny lobster fishery during Co‐M implementation. However, recovery was observed in recent years, reflected in a stabilization of fishing effort and the highest CPUE and economic revenues observed since the beginning of the Co‐M implementation phase. The combined effects of market forces, climate variability and a moratorium on fishing effort were critical in fishery recovery. We conclude that Co‐M is not a blueprint that can be applied to all shellfisheries to enhance their governability. These social–ecological systems need to be managed by jointly addressing problems related to the resources, their marine environment and the people targeting them, accounting for their socioeconomic and cultural contexts.     

Effect of different diets on growth of the sub-adult sea cucumber Holothuria scabra

Aquaculture International - In recent years, the demand for commercial sea cucumber diet increased due to the expansion of sea cucumber farming. In this study, we investigated alternative sources...     

Is fisheries production within Large Marine Ecosystems determined by bottom‐up or top‐down forcing?

Understanding the mechanisms driving fisheries production is essential if we are to accurately predict changes under climate change and exploit fish stocks in a sustainable manner. Traditionally, studies have sought to distinguish between the two most prominent drivers, ‘bottom‐up’ (resource driven) and ‘top‐down’ (consumer driven); however, this dichotomy is increasingly proving to be artificial as the relative importance of each mechanism has been shown to vary through space and time. Nevertheless, the reason why one predominates over another within a region remains largely unknown. To address this gap in understanding, we identified the dominant driver of commercial landings within 47 ecosystems, encompassing a wide range of biogeochemical conditions and fishing practices to elucidate general patterns. We show that bottom‐up and top‐down effects vary consistently with past fishing pressure and oceanographic conditions; bottom‐up control predominates within productive, overfished regions and top‐down in relatively unproductive and under‐exploited areas. We attribute these findings to differences in the species composition and oceanographic properties of regions, together with variation in fishing practices and (indicative) management effectiveness. Collectively, our analyses suggest that despite the complexity of ecological systems, it is possible to elucidate a number of generalities. Such knowledge could be used to increase the parsimony of ecosystem models and to move a step forward in predicting how the global ocean, particularly fisheries productivity, will respond to climate change.     

A new insight into the influence of habitat on the biochemical properties of three commercial sea cucumber species

International Aquatic Research - This work makes a comparative evaluation of the biochemical profile of three sea commercial cucumber species (Holothuria mammata, H. polii and H. tubulosa) caught...     

Transportation methods for restocking of juvenile sea cucumber,Holothuria scabra

The sandfish, Holothuria scabra, is a heavily exploited sea cucumber species. Minimising stress in the transportation of hatchery-produced sandfish juveniles to release sites is critical for successful restocking. Replicate groups (n = 4) of 20 hatchery-produced juveniles (1–5 g) were held in plastic bags with oxygen under 6 transport durations (0, 2, 4, 8, 12 and 24 h), two media (water or saturated sponge), and two temperature regimes (ambient and cool). Subsequent deaths and sand burrowing of the groups in release chambers were monitored for 5 days. Juveniles eviscerated or died only in treatments at ambient temperature on sponge for 24 h. Oxygen consumption in bags was reduced at cool temperature. On the first day after release, the normal sand burrowing was suppressed in juveniles held for 12 and 24 h, suggesting that pre-release acclimation for 1 day at field sites would benefit restocking. After the initial ‘shock’ of transport, handling stress appeared to increase burrowing behaviour for several days. Hatchery-produced sandfish also proved hardy for transport in high densities (100 and 200 juveniles per bag) and transportation stress will be minimised in seawater held at cool, constant temperature.     

涉海建设项目中深水海域渔业资源调查问题的研究

为解决涉海工程深水渔业资源评估的问题,于2014~2015年在南海北部局部海域开展底拖网与灯光罩网联合调查渔业资源活动。结果表明:在深水区底拖网渔获组成与灯光罩网有明显的不同,并受到季节与海域的影响(P0.05)。拖网渔获物中鱼类平均占渔获总尾数的93.36%,头足类占3.53%,甲壳类占3.11%;灯光罩网渔获物中鱼类平均占渔获总尾数的63.33%,头足类占36.65%,甲壳类占0.02%。两种调查的相同渔获物1~6种,主要为鱼类和头足类,在拖网中所占比值较低,平均占渔获总尾数的2.07%,而在灯光罩网中比值极高,平均占渔获总尾数的67.03%。灯光罩网与底拖网调查的渔业资源密度直接比值平均为0.06,灯光罩网与底拖网扣除相同渔获种类后的资源密度比值平均为0.06,相应的质量密度直接比值平均为0.62,扣除相同渔获种类后的比值平均为0.67。研究认为,深水海域的渔业资源量应该是两种渔具调查结果之和,对两种渔具调查中出现的相同渔获物,宜取其评估数据的平均值。由于各站点调查结果差异较大,采用所有站点的平均值来计算评估海域的损害赔偿较为合适。建议对SC/T9110-2007技术规程修订,规范中上层渔业资源调查方法。     

Rebuilding Mediterranean fisheries: a new paradigm for ecological sustainability

In Mediterranean European countries, 85% of the assessed stocks are currently overfished compared to a maximum sustainable yield reference value (MSY) while populations of many commercial species are characterized by truncated size‐ and age‐structures. Rebuilding the size‐ and age‐structure of exploited populations is a management objective that combines single species targets such as MSY with specific goals of the ecosystem approach to fisheries management (EAF), preserving community size‐structure and the ecological role of different species. Here, we show that under the current fishing regime, stock productivity and fleet profitability are generally impaired by a combination of high fishing mortality and inadequate selectivity patterns. For most of the stocks analysed, a simple reduction in the current fishing mortality (F_cur) towards an MSY reference value (F_MSY), without any change in the fishing selectivity, will allow neither stock biomass nor fisheries yield and revenue to be maximized. On the contrary, management targets can be achieved only through a radical change in fisheries selectivity. Shifting the size of first capture towards the size at which fish cohorts achieve their maximum biomass, the so‐called optimal length, would produce on average between two and three times higher economic yields and much higher biomass at sea for the exploited stocks. Moreover, it would contribute to restore marine ecosystem structure and resilience to enhance ecosystem services such as reservoirs of biodiversity and functioning food webs.     

Indicators of unsustainable fishery in the Middle Danube

Fishery in the Danube River basin has been characterised over the past century by increasing fishing levels, illegal fishing practices and poor regulations. However, there is a remarkable lack of available information on the actual status of fish stocks, as well as on the trends and sustainability of fisheries, which poses a problem for the development of adequate policy and management measures. In this study, we assessed the trends in the commercial fishery in the Middle Danube in Serbia during 1969–1989 and 2006–2010 by evaluating the temporal changes in life history‐related indicators that might point out unsustainable fishing pressures. Moreover, we present the approach of using the catch‐weighted mean egg‐per‐recruit (EPR) index as a proxy for the overall resilience of fish stocks to fishing. Results indicated a marked shift towards smaller fish that mature earlier and have a shorter lifespan. Landings also shifted towards species at lower trophic levels, with a mean trophic level decline at a rate of approximately 0.16 per decade. Results indicated likely presence of the ‘fishing through the food web’ phenomenon. At the same time, catch‐weighted community mean of the 20% EPR threshold ratio (EPR_20%) increased by 4.2%, indicating the increase of the overall resilience to fishing of the exploited species. Obtained results indicated the importance of using such metrics for the assessments of trends in fishery. The approach and results presented here could be of interest for the scientific community and stakeholders involved in fishery management.     

Interannual variability in stock abundance of the neon flying squid, Ommastrephes bartramii, in the North Pacific Ocean during 1979–1998: impact of driftnet fishing and oceanographic conditions

Variability in catch-per-unit-effort (CPUE) was examined for the autumn cohort of Ommastrephes bartramii collected with research driftnets during 1979–1998 along five longitudinal transects passing through the Subarctic, Transitional and Subtropical Domains in the North Pacific. CPUE was generally low during the period of intensive commercial driftnet fishing (1980–1992) and increased following the 1992 moratorium on the use of large-scale driftnets. However, CPUE levels were low for the cohorts hatched in 1992 and 1996 (captured in subsequent years owing to a one-year life of O. bartramii ) that experienced low sea surface temperatures from hatching to recruitment. Among similar-aged squid collected from 180° and 179°30'W in June, mantle lengths were significantly greater in 1997 than during 1995–96. These findings suggest that the driftnet fishery and sea surface temperatures from hatching to recruitment strongly affected stock abundance and possibly growth.     

混养海湾扇贝对刺参池塘养殖环境的影响

为建立参贝混养的生态养殖模式,研究了海湾扇贝在池塘中与刺参混养,对养殖环境的影响。通过参贝混养与海参单养池的比较研究表明:参贝混养池的水质指标:氨态氮、亚硝酸盐等明显低于海参单养池;扇贝的滤食作用改善了水的透明度,参贝混养池明显高于海参单养池。参贝混养池中浮游生物的种类和数量优于单养池,海参喜食的底栖硅藻的生物量较多;浮游动物的种类较少,规格也较小。为池塘参贝生态养殖提供了参考依据。