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Edible Sea Cucumber

There are over a thousand sea cucumbers species in the ocean worldwide — they’re distant relatives of starfish and urchins, although they look remarkably different! 

 

Edible sea cucumbers are widely distributed across the western central and northwest Pacific Ocean, as well as throughout the Indian Ocean. While their exact habitats vary region by region — for example, in the Western Central Pacific Ocean, this species is found surrounding lagoon-islet reefs and costal lagoons — they consistently stick to shallow waters, not venturing deeper than 45 meters (147.6 feet). They can be difficult to spot in these environments, as their soft, leathery bodies blend into the muddy seafloors or coral patches in seagrass beds where they prefer to live. Their back, or biviums, are often brown, while their undersides, or triviums, are commonly whitish.  

While their exact diet is not known, many sea cucumber species are scavengers, slowly moving along the seafloor and feeding on tiny particles of organic matter that they collect with the tube feet that surround their mouths. As their names suggest, edible sea cucumbers are harvested and consumed in multiple countries around the world, especially in Asia. 

 

 

This species is classified as Least Concern by the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Although this species is widely fished, it is not rare, and there is no current evidence of the population declining.  

 

 

Responsible harvesting is critical for healthy and abundant oceans. Oceana campaigns to protect critical habitat and promote responsible fishing practices to ensure that species, like the edible sea cucumber, can thrive. Learn more about Oceana’s campaigns here.  

 

 

 

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