Overfishing a threat to sea cucumbers

Strong global demand for sea cucumbers, particularly by Asians, has led to
the intense exploitation of the stocks of these unusual creatures around the
world which threatens its survival, warns a United Nations
(UN) Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) report.

"The fast developmental pace of sea cucumber fishing as a means of
satisfying growing international demand is placing most fisheries and many
sea cucumber species at risk," reads a segment of the study ‘Sea
Cucumbers: a global review of fisheries and trade.’

Under pressure: sea cucumbers are being overfished around the world.
(Photo: FAO)

Stocks are overfished in the majority of countries evaluated as well as in
the African and Indian Ocean regions, the report's authors contend.

Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and the Philippines, among others countries,
export large quantities of sea cucumber to China and other Asian markets
annually, the FAO study pointed out.

According to the UN researchers, sea cucumber management plans specific to
local circumstances need to be developed.

"These [plans] could include measures xuch as establishing catch quotas and
minimum size limits, closures during breeding seasons, and better monitoring
of the status of stocks," the report reads.

Sea cucumbers make a major contribution to the economies of coastal
communities - a fact that makes improving fisheries practices and
implementing well-enforced management plans that curb overfishing vital for
the communities dependent on the sea cucumber.

Sea cucumber populations worldwide are also being threatened by global
warming, habitat destruction, and poaching, the FAO report points out.

The regions of Asia and the Pacific produce between 20,000 and 40,000 tonnes
of the resource annually. Other major production hubs are the Galapagos
Islands, Ecuador; the Seychelles in the Indian Ocean; and Newfoundland,
Canada, the report indicates.

Sea cucumbers — also known by the French name bêche-de-mer — have long been
considered a delicacy. They are not only consumed as food, however, but are
also used for pharmaceutical and cosmetic applications as well.

By Analia Murias
editorial@fis.com
www.fis.com

http://www.fis.com/fis/worldnews/worldnews.asp?l=e&country=&monthyear=&day=&
id=31900&ndb=1&df=0

HUMAN NOISES CAUSE FISH STRESS AND TISSUE DAMAGE| http://tinyurl.com/c4glpr

 UK - A study published in the most recent issue of the journal Integrative Zoology reports that human-generated sound has detrimental effects on fish. The review by Arthur Popper and Mardi Hastings reports that fish suffer from effects ranging from loss of hearing, increased stress levels and even death due to anthropogenic noises, says PracticalFishkeeping. The sources of man-made sounds are varied, and include boats and ships, seismic exploration devices, construction activities, and active sonars. The authors of the report write: “The range of potential effects from intense sound sources, such as pile driving and seismic air guns, includes immediate death. “Alternatively, effects could include tissue damage that might or might not directly result in death but that might make the fish less fit until healing takes place, resulting in lower chances of survival. “There is also the potential for temporary hearing loss due to exposure to intense sound sources, and this too could lower fitness until hearing recovers.