Sea Cucumber Condition and Trepang Industry in the Philippines
Sea Cucumber Condition and Trepang Industry in the Philippines
Leejee Moody M. Zamora
BS Biology Program, Sciences Cluster
University of the Philippines Cebu
6000, Gorordo Avenue, Cebu City
Abstract
Sea cucumbers are under Phylum Echinodermata and Family Holothuridae and Stichopodidae. In the Philippines, there are over 170 known sea cucumber species and 69 of these are commercially exploited. The Philippines has no specific regulatory and management measures for sea cucumbers ever since the start of it as a high valued product in the export industry. The purpose of this study is to track and assess the condition of sea cucumbers in the Philippines as a result from the booming of dried sea cucumber trading. One unpublished article and 12 out of 18 collected journal articles were used in this review. In terms of diversity over the years more sea cucumber species are being discovered. However, a decline in population, especially of the commercially exploited species, is inevitable. One of the reasons reflected in this paper is the boom of the trepang trade. Many Filipinos, especially in the coastal areas, engage in this way of livelihood because of its simple processing method and its use of low technology. Another reason is sea cucumber collection is not controlled because there is no regulation and management implemented specifically for sea cucumbers. Management plans in the Philippines cannot be implemented right away because of the lack of baseline information. On the other hand, other countries have used the methods of aquaculture to address this kind of problem. But studies recommend that more investigations should be done on aquaculture for further development.
Keywords: trepang, beche-de-mer, aquaculture, assessment
Introduction
Sea cucumbers are one of the many marine organisms around the world. They are under the family Holothuridae and Stichopodidae, Phylum Echinodermata. They are usually found in calm and transparent waters. They are
Leejee Moody M. Zamora
BS Biology Program, Sciences Cluster
University of the Philippines Cebu
6000, Gorordo Avenue, Cebu City
Abstract
Sea cucumbers are under Phylum Echinodermata and Family Holothuridae and Stichopodidae. In the Philippines, there are over 170 known sea cucumber species and 69 of these are commercially exploited. The Philippines has no specific regulatory and management measures for sea cucumbers ever since the start of it as a high valued product in the export industry. The purpose of this study is to track and assess the condition of sea cucumbers in the Philippines as a result from the booming of dried sea cucumber trading. One unpublished article and 12 out of 18 collected journal articles were used in this review. In terms of diversity over the years more sea cucumber species are being discovered. However, a decline in population, especially of the commercially exploited species, is inevitable. One of the reasons reflected in this paper is the boom of the trepang trade. Many Filipinos, especially in the coastal areas, engage in this way of livelihood because of its simple processing method and its use of low technology. Another reason is sea cucumber collection is not controlled because there is no regulation and management implemented specifically for sea cucumbers. Management plans in the Philippines cannot be implemented right away because of the lack of baseline information. On the other hand, other countries have used the methods of aquaculture to address this kind of problem. But studies recommend that more investigations should be done on aquaculture for further development.
Keywords: trepang, beche-de-mer, aquaculture, assessment
Introduction
Sea cucumbers are one of the many marine organisms around the world. They are under the family Holothuridae and Stichopodidae, Phylum Echinodermata. They are usually found in calm and transparent waters. They are
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