Abstract

A recently developed fishery for sea cucumbers (Class: Holothuroidea) is delivering a novel income stream to fishing communities in many areas of the Caribbean. The high value of sea cucumbers when exported to Asia combined with the low technology of the fishery means that there are few barriers to entry. If correctly managed, this low-trophic level fishery promises to deliver a high-profit, high-yield natural product. However, sea cucumber exploitation in other regions has been characterised by “boom and bust” scenarios, as management strategies have not been put in place to prevent rapid depletion of the breeding population.

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