A. Lovatelli

The utilisation of sea cucumbers, including for human consumption, has been steadily growing over the years. Up-to-date information on the present status of world sea cucumber resources and utilisation is presented with special focus on countries such as China, Ecuador, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia and the Philippines that have been heavily engaged in the industry for decades. Information from other countries such as Cuba, Egypt, Madagascar and the United Republic of Tanzania, relative newcomers to the sector, is also provided, indicating to some extent the growing interest with regard to the exploitation of holothurians for the demanding Asian markets. Details on the technical advances made in the artificial reproduction and farming of selected commercial species are presented. This document includes the recommendations formulated during the FAO Fisheries Department Workshop on Advances in Sea Cucumber Aquaculture and Management held in Dalian, China, in October 2003, along with the technical papers presented. The report will be useful to those international and regional development organisations and national governments who wish to prioritise their activities concerning sea cucumber conservation and exploitation.

Abstract 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.

Hatchery culture of bivalves: a practical manual , Hatchery culture of bivalves: a practical manual , مرکز فناوری اطلاعات و اطلاع رسانی کشاورزی

Sea cucumber fishing is not a traditional activity; however, a large number of coastal communities have developed a strong dependency on it as an alternative source of income. This paper reviews the worldwide population status, fishery, trade and management of sea cucumbers five regions, covering known sea cucumber fishing grounds: temperate areas of the Northern Hemisphere; Latin America and the Caribbean; Africa and the Indian Ocean; Asia; and the Western Central Pacific. Together, the case studies provide a comprehensive and up-to-date evaluation of the global status of sea cucumber, constituting an important information source for researchers, managers, policy-makers and regional/international organizations interested in sea cucumber conservation and exploitation.

Abstract Since 2000, aquaculture became well‐integrated into the global food system. Aquaculture systems are highly diverse, producing globally equal amounts of fed and extractive species. In Asia and Africa, inland aquaculture provides the bulk of aquaculture production, while in the Americas, Europe, and Oceania, marine aquaculture dominates. The realized growth of annual production since 2000 is due to intensification, the use of more and better feeds, improved production management, and increased attention to biosecurity. Fed and extractive aquaculture, both need to pay more attention to scaling, site selection, and the health of the wider production environment. In terms of land use, aquaculture is more efficient than terrestrial animal production. Still, water use remains a challenge. More attention should be given to water recycling in land‐based systems, reducing water consumption and facilitating nutrient recovery and reuse. Future development should focus on making aquaculture climate neutral and on reducing environmental impacts, both inland and at sea. More attention must be given to making aquaculture an important part of local food systems on all continents, as is the case in Asia today. Integration of aquaculture into local nutrition‐sensitive, circular, and sustainable food systems should become the major driver for future aquaculture system development.