There is a need to integrate pressures mounting from environmental changes, socio-economic factors, and fishing practices into ongoing monitoring and management strategies for the Seychelles Sea Cucumber Fishery. This is the observation made by the Fisheries Research team from the Seychelles Fisheries Authority (SFA) in its latest report on the fishery.

The sea cucumber fishery in Seychelles has a historical legacy that dates back to the 1800s, but it has only experienced significant exploitation since the late 1990s, coinciding with a surge in global demand.

The latest insights from the report paint a detailed picture of the sea cucumber fishery during the 2023/2024 season. The 2023/2024 fishing season, which ran for eight months, permitted harvesting of three main species: Flower Teatfish, Prickly Redfish, and Golden Sandfish. The total catch saw a minor increase, with 233,285 sea cucumbers harvested, up from 230,248 in the previous season. The predominant species was Flower Teatfish, whose numbers rose by 2.7%, while other species like Prickly Redfish experienced a decline.

Catch trends varied monthly, peaking in December but noticeably dropping as the season progressed. While fishing activity reflected an increase in effort, with more trips and dive minutes recorded, the catch compositions highlighted the ongoing challenges within the fishery.

The 2023/2024 season also recorded 133 trips totalling 1,193,553 dive minutes. Despite the increased effort, the overall Catch Per Unit Effort (CPUE) remained relatively low, at 44 pieces per diver day, continuing a trend of decline observed over the past several seasons. This decline raises concerns regarding stock abundance and the long-term sustainability of the fishery.

Another crucial aspect of the fisheries management equation is quota utilization. This season saw an alarming drop to only 60% utilization across species. While utilization of Flower Teatfish was fairly high at 83%, Prickly Redfish and Golden Sandfish were significantly underutilized, reflecting a troubling trend of persistent underperformance within the fishery.

The 2023/2024 fishery results reflect a pressing need for adaptive strategies that encompass these multifaceted challenges. Integrating environmental monitoring with socio-economic considerations into the management protocols will be crucial for safeguarding the health of the sea cucumber stocks and, by extension, the livelihoods dependent on them.