2008/733 Population genetic structure of Sea Cucumbers (bêche-de-mer) in Northern Australia

By Mike Gardner

Sandfish, a commercially important species of Sea Cucumber, are fished off the northern Australian coast.  Elsewhere in the Asia-Pacific region, where they are commonly fished, they have been found to be particularly vulnerable to over-exploitation.  Currently, as little is known about their biology and population structure, they are fished off the Northern Territory using conservative methods, by limited access, area restrictions based on an arbitrary line on the water and trigger limits based on historical data.  This project aimed to increase knowledge of the population genetic structure to enable informed decisions on the sustainable management of existing fisheries and to develop appropriate policies and strategies for the planned restocking program.