Group Coordinator and Bulletin Editor
Chantal Conand, Université de La Réunion, Laboratoire de biologie marine, 97715 Saint-Denis Cedex, La Réunion, France. Fax: +262 938166
Production
Pacific Community, Fisheries Aquaculture and Marine Ecosystems Division, Information Section, SPC, BP D5, 98848 Noumea Cedex, New Caledonia.
Produced with financial assistance from the Australian Government, the European Union, France and the New Zealand Aid Programme.
Note from the editor
This issue of the bulletin contains original contributions on the various aspects of sea cucumber exploitation: fishing and marketing, research in ecology and biology, general information on publications and, as usual, questions by members.
Several contributions point out the difficulties encountered in trying to establish a rational management of these fisheries. Depletion of the natural stocks or indices of overfishing are shown in many western Pacific and Indian Ocean fisheries : Solomon Islands, Madagascar, Maldives.
The management of some temperate fisheries is also difficult according to biological as well as economic or social standpoints (Washington State). The recent 'scandal' of the Galapagos has shown that sea cucumber fishing is so attractive that a clandestine, illegal fishery started up in 1992 in the Marine Reserve created in 1986.
In the different countries concerned, the sea cucumbers are the goal of small-scale fisheries which do not attract enough attention or funding for them to be properly managed.
It is hoped that this issue will serve to circulate information and that members will give their comments and share their experiences to provide up-to-date information for the next issue.
Chantal Conand
Contents
The beche-de-mer industry in the Solomon Islands: Recent trends and suggestions for management
(pdf: 100 KB)
(pdf: 100 KB)