Resources for Sea Cucumbers

Resources for sea cucumbers are at an early stage with biologists. Like the sea urchin, sea cucumber numbers were depleted before biologists began examining habitat resources and the overfishing of these creatures. Sea cucumber meat is in high demand all over the world, especially in Asia. The sudden popularity of the "pickle" -- as they're often called -- spurred fisheries in Maine to harvest at a rapid rate.

  1. Maine

    • With no information on population or how long it takes the cucumbers to grow to sexual maturity, a rational decision on management cannot be made. According to a report by Stanley Chenoweth and Jay McGowan from the Maine Department of Marine Resources, large coastal areas are abundant with sea cucumbers and fisheries are exploiting this virgin stock. Maine's regulations require licenses for commercial harvesters, limit drags (chain mesh, rope mesh or netting attached to a metal frame with teeth) to 5 feet, 6 inches and do not allow nighttime dragging. This is to insure no conflict arises between cucumber harvesters and lobster men.

    Washington State

    • Due to overfishing in the late 1980s, divers in Washington State harvest sea cucumbers instead of dragging. Divers harvest sea cucumbers by hand instead of using dragging equipment, since dragging disrupts and destroys the cucumber beds. At the same time, restrictions were placed on the harvesting to stabilize the population of cucumbers, including a six-month fishing season, limited entry (meaning only a certain amount of vessels can enter the area during the six-month period) and rotation of harvesting among four areas to give sea cucumbers a three-and-a-half-year period of reproduction.

    Tube-shaped animals

    • Sea cucumbers are tube-shaped animals and bottom dwellers. Their greenish to brown coloring gives them the appearance of a cucumber, hence the name. One end of the animal is the mouth with a circle of tentacles. The opposite end is the anal opening. The cucumber can rid its body of internal organs when stressed and later retrieve and revive them. When the animal is relaxed it can measure almost 20 inches. The skin and muscle bands are the edible parts in high demand all over the world.

    China

    • According to regulations issued by the Chinese Ministry of Agriculture (MoA), sea cucumbers are classified as protected. Establishing adequate conservation measures is expected to ensure large populations of sea cucumbers in the future. Management of these regulations has been slow on the islands of Hainan and excessive fishing has caused a decline in the cucumber population.