Group Coordinator and Bulletin Editor
Igor Eeckhaut, Marine Biology and Bioimitation, 6 Av. Champ de Mars, University of Mons, 7000 Mons Belgium.
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.
Editorial
This 42nd issue of the SPC Beche-de-Mer Information Bulletin includes 15 original articles and scientific observations from around the world. We continue here the formula initiated with issue #41 by including articles in English and French. Some articles appear only in one of the two languages, others in both.
The first article by Byrne et al. (p. 4) reminds us of the need for better taxonomic determination in the conservation results of sea cucumbers, and presents a case study on teatfish of the Great Barrier Reef.
Approximately 18 years after the publication of research papers on the sea cucumber fishery in southwestern Madagascar, Maka et al. (p. 36) review the state of the fishery today, assess management, and analyse governance of the sector. Zaidnuddin et al. (p. 46) give an update on the diversity of sea cucumbers on the reefs of Perhentian Island in Malaysia, two decades after the first survey. Mulochau et al. (p. 50) present an overview of the biodiversity of sea cucumbers observed for the first time on the submarine Mount La Pérouse (Reunion Island). This article is in French only.
The next two articles present advances in the aquaculture sector. The article from Palau by Lin and Hua informs us about the success of the first trials of spawning and larviculture of Holothuria scabra (p. 58), while the one by Christophersen and Sunde in Norway discusses the economic viability of producing the cold-water sea cucumber Parastichopus tremulus (p. 65).
Belkacem and Mezali (p. 73) conducted a taste test of a segment of the Algerian population of ready-made meals prepared with Mediterranean sea cucumbers. Two species were cooked for this purpose, H. tubulosa and H. arguinensis. In addition, Khodja and Mezali (p. 79) analyse the composition and digestibility of the integument of Parastichopus regalis, a deep and still unexploited species in Algeria.
The following four articles report spawning and juvenile observations: Gomez and Eeckhaut (p. 85) report on H. scabra’s spawnings in farmed sea pens in Madagascar and observations on juveniles that followed fertilisation; Borsa (p. 88) observes spawning of H. leucospilota in an urbanised bay in the southwestern lagoon of New Caledonia; and Byrne (p. 90) describes the spawning of Stichopus chloronotus and H. isuga from One Tree Reef lagoon (Australia). Also in Australia, Chai reports a S. herrmanni spawning event (p. 92), and Wolfe and Desbiens observe a nursery of juveniles of the same species on the outer reef crest of Heron Island on the Great Barrier Reef (p. 93).
The next contribution is by Richard (p. 95) who reports on an observation of predation by the titan triggerfish on H. leucospilota at Reunion Island.
Jangoux (p. 97) talks about the trepang observed at the beginning of the 19th century by Leschenault, a French naturalist who visited the island of Java in Indonesia.
Finally, we express our congratulations to Dr Emily J.S. Claereboudt who presented, at the University of Mons (Belgium), her PhD dissertation titled “Biological roles and evolution of triterpenoids in holothuroids”.
It is with great sadness that we announce the death of Dr Claude Massin (25 August 1948–04 September 2021). We offer our sincere condolences to his family and loved ones. A detailed contribution by Dr Yves Samyn was published in an issue of Zootaxa in 2021 (5081(2):223–236). This contribution provides an overview of the scientific career of Claude, listing his scientific activities (academic career, participation with and organization of expeditions, scientific conferences and list of publications).
Also included in this issue are various communications (p. 101) about publications, new books, and congresses. Diverse information on holothurians is presented, most of them shared by Chantal Conand. Some interesting information that is found only on the internet is also listed at the end of this issue (p. 104).
Contents
The importance of taxonomy in conservation outcomes for beche-de-mer: the teatfish and Great Barrier Reef fishery case studies
Characterising changes in a decade of Mexican sea cucumber crime (2011–2021) using media reports
Wild sea cucumber fishery in southwestern Madagascar
An update on sea cucumber diversity in Malaysia: Resurveying the reefs of Perhentian Island after two decades
Premier inventaire des holothuries (Holothuroidea) observées sur le Mont sous-marin La Pérouse – Ile de La Réunion sud-ouest de l’océan Indien – Expédition La Pérouse 2019
First trials to induce spawning and larviculture of Holothuria scabra in Palau
The challenge of economically viable aquaculture of the cold-water sea cucumber Parastichopus tremulus in Norway
Culinary valorisation of sea cucumbers from the Algerian west coast
Proximate composition and in vivo digestibility of the integument of Parastichopus regalis (Cuvier, 1817) collected from the Mostaganem area in the western Mediterranean Sea
First spawning observations in sandfish farmed in sea pens, and evidence of wild juveniles growing
Natural spawning of Holothuria leucospilota (Brandt, 1835) in an urbanised bay in the southwestern lagoon of New Caledonia
Observation de ponte naturelle chez Holothuria leucospilota (Brandt, 1835) dans une baie urbanisée du lagon sud-ouest de la Nouvelle-Calédonie
Spawning observations of the sea cucumbers Stichopus chloronotus and Holothuria isuga from One Tree Reef lagoon, southern Great Barrier Reef
Stichopus herrmanni spawning observation
Observations of juvenile Stichopus herrmanni and confirmation of “pie crust” nursery grounds
Observation of predation by the titan triggerfish on a holothurian at Reunion Island
Observation de prédation par le baliste titan sur une holothurie, à La Réunion
The trepangs of Leschenault
Les trepangs de Leschenault
Communications