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Sea Cucumbers in the Western Indian Ocean Improving Management of an Important but Poorly Understood Resource

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Sea Cucumbers in the Western Indian Ocean Improving Management of an Important but Poorly Understood Resource Sea cucumbers in the western Indian Ocean Improving management of an important but poorly understood resource Sea cucumbers in the western Indian Ocean Improving management of an important but poorly understood resource Principal Investigators: Chantal CONAND Ecomar Laboratory Reunion University 97715 Saint Denis, Reunion, France Email: [email protected] Nyawira MUTHIGA, Wildlife Conservation Society Kibaki Flats No. 12 P.O. Box 99470 Mombasa, Kenya Email: [email protected] Co-Investigators: Kenya - Jacob OCHIEWO, Kenya Marine & Fisheries Research Institute Madagascar - Richard RASOLOFONIRINA, IH-SM and Aqua-lab Reunion - Patrick FROUIN, ECOMAR, Reunion University Seychelles - Riaz AUMEERUDDY, Seychelles Fisheries Authority Sweden - Maricela DE LA TORRE-CASTRO, Stockholm University Tanzania - Yunis MGAYA, University of Dar-es-salaam i Sea cucumbers in the western Indian Ocean Improving management of an important but poorly understood resource This publication is the fi nal output of the Marine Science for Management Program Project No. MASMA/AG/2005/01. This publication is available electronically at the following website: http://www.wiomsa.org All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior permission of the publisher and contact with the author. © Western Indian Ocean Marine Science Association (WIOMSA) Published by: The Western Indian Ocean Marine Science Association (WIOMSA) Mizingani St, House No. 13644/10 P.O. Box 3298, Zanzibar United Republic of Tanzania Tel:+255 24 2233472/2234597 Fax:+255 24 2233852 Email: [email protected] Citation: Muthiga NA, Conand C (ed) 2014. Sea cucumbers in the western Indian Ocean: Improving management of an important but poorly understood resource. WIOMSA Book Series No. 13. viii + 74 pp ISSN: 0856-7972 Cover photo: C Conand Printed by: Kul Graphics Ltd P.O. Box 18095 Nairobi, Kenya www.kulgraphics.co.ke ii Sea cucumbers in the western Indian Ocean Improving management of an important but poorly understood resource ABSTRACT Across the Western Indian Ocean harvesting of sea cucumbers is predominantly carried out by artisanal fi shers. Worldwide production of beche-de-mer that is processed from sea cucumbers is currently not suffi cient to meet the demand of the Asian Market and pressure to continue fi shing is still very high. This coupled with declining stocks and weak management systems indicate that sea cucumber stocks are unlikely to recover to sustainable levels in the near future. The need for improved management of the sea cucumber fi sheries in the WIO led to the initiation of a three-year multi-country regional research project funded by the Marine Science for Management program of the Western Indian Ocean Marine Science Association. First, the project aimed to document and evaluate the knowledge available on sea cucumbers in the region. This was necessary to gain an understanding of the challenges of the fi shery in order to guide the design of future research and management interventions. Second, the project sought to fi ll key gaps in information by conducting research studies on the ecology, biology and socioeconomics of sea cucumbers in fi ve countries in the region. The project involved a multi-disciplinary team from Kenya, Madagascar, Reunion (France), Seychelles and Tanzania. All these countries with the exception of Reunion have sea cucumber fi sheries allowing for comparisons across diff erent fi shing intensities, socioeconomic conditions and capacity for management. The main components of the project included, ecological assessments and species inventories; studies on the reproductive biology of the key commercial species; studies to assess the eff ectiveness of marine protected areas in the management of sea cucumbers; studies on the socioeconomics and management of the fi shery; and training fi sheries managers on the taxonomy, fi sheries biology and management of sea cucumbers. This volume summarizes key research fi ndings and the main recommendations from the project. The volume is targetted at institutions that have a stake in maintaining the long-term productivity and sustainability of fi sheries and natural resources including fi sheries and conservation managers, local communities that depend on these resources and donors especially those who have an interest in community resource management and alternative livelihoods. The main fi ndings of the project were that the sea cucumber fi sheries in most of the studied countries continued to decline due to overexploitation and persistent and systemic governance challenges. The key recommendations detailed in this report include improving management capacity and planning, addressing the ecological and socioeconomic knowledge gaps, exploring alternative livelihoods and diversifi cation, and improving stakeholder engagement and regional coordination. For sea cucumber fi sheries to improve and to continue to contribute to livelihoods, there is a need for coordinated national commitments to develop and implement management systems that improve the likelihood of achieving sustainablity of this fi shery. iii Sea cucumbers in the western Indian Ocean Improving management of an important but poorly understood resource ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The authors would like to thank the Western Indian Ocean Marine Science Association through the Marine Science for Management Program for fi nancial support for the project and the Regional workshops. The administrative support received from the University of Reunion and the Wildlife Conservation Society as well as the laboratory facilities, boats and technical staff and student support received from the Ministry of Fisheries (Kenya), Seychelles Fisheries Authority, the Kenya Wildlife Service, the Kenya Marine & Fisheries Research Institute (Kenya), the Institute of Marine Science (Tanzania), Institut Halieutique et des Sciences Marines (Madagascar) and the Universities of Dar-es-salaam, Nairobi, Reunion and Stockholm are also appreciated. The work of key collaborators including R. Aumeeruddy, M. de la Torre-Castro, P. Frouin, J. Kawaka, Y. Mgaya, J. Ochiewo, R. Rasolofonirina is acknowledged and highly appreciated. The scientists, students and technicians attached to or collaborating with the project including J-M. Andriatsimialona, A. Burgos, H. Eriksson, S. Gaudron, J. Kawaka, S. Kohler, T. Lavitra, C. Macamo, J. Mariara, T. Mmbaga, E. Mirault, S. Ndirangu, H. Nilsson, L. Nordlund, P. Orwa, M. Pinault, S. Rakotomahefa, C. Raymond, Y. Razafi mandimby, D. Taddei, M. Thigwa are also appreciated. The authors also wish to gratefully acknowledge the communities who worked with scientists during the various components of the project. More than 40 participants attended the project workshops and their active and productive participation is acknowledged. The authors are also grateful to Mrs M. Mukira the Assistant Director Fisheries (Kenya) and Dr. R. Ruwa the Deputy Director Kenya Marine & Fisheries Research Institute for presiding over the Regional workshop. The support from IUCN, Mnazi Bay Marine Park, the National Organisation of Trépang and Holothurian Exploiters (Madagascar), University of Eduardo Mondlane and the World Wildlife Fund who supported the attendance of their staff and students to the Regional Workshop is also appreciated. iv Sea cucumbers in the western Indian Ocean Improving management of an important but poorly understood resource TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT………………………………………………………………………… ..................................…………......iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS…………………………………………………………… ........................... ….................iv LIST OF FIGURES…………………………………………………… .............................. ……………….................vii LIST OF TABLES…………………………………………...................... ........................ .................................viii INTRODUCTION……………………………………………….……… ............................. ………………..................1 LITERATURE REVIEW…………………………………………………… ...................................................................................…………………….....2 Taxonomic and ecological studies…………….…………………. ..........................................................................................................................2 Biological and reproductive studies……………………………….. .........................................................................................…………….….......4 Socioeconomics and fi sheries management studies……..……… ..................................................................................………….….........5 METHODOLOGY………………………………………………….......................................................................................……….……………….....…....6 Taxonomic and ecological studies………………………… ......................................................................................... ………………….......……..6 Biological and reproductive studies……………………… ........................................................................................ ………………………...........7 Socioeconomic and fi sheries management studies………… ..................................................................................…………………........10 RESEARCH FINDINGS………………………………………………….................. .....................................................................................................12 Ecological Studies...................................................................................... ...............................................................................................................12
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