This study was conducted to assess the status of small-scale artisanal sea cucumber fishing around the islands of Phu Quoc, Nam Du, and Hai Tac, located in Kien Giang Province, Vietnam. A total of 90 sea cucumber fishers were randomly interviewed from October 2018 to March 2019. Results indicate that most fishers (96.7%) consider sea cucumber fishing as an extra income and use simple fishing methods such as diving (free diving and snorkeling), gleaning, and scoop nets. Catch composition (%whole wet weight) comprises five species, of which low- and medium-value species are most commonly harvested, includingHolothuria leucospilota (39.5%–58.2%) and Stichopus spp. (29.7%–48.4%), followed by Holothuria atra (7.3%–10.9%) and two high-value species that are rarely found, that is, Holothuria scabra (2.6%–6.6%) and Holothuria nobilis (1.2%–1.6%). Current catch rates for an average fishing trip are 25.8–37.6 kg wet weight per diver, which has declined by 60%–95%over the past 10 y, indicating heavy overexploitation. Currently, the exploitation of sea cucumber in Kien Giang has encountered some difficulties, such as unusual weather, the drastic depletion of high-value stocks, and unstable selling price. This information will be useful for further research related to planning effective management programs for sea cucumber fisheries in the region.
Tạp chí khoa học Trường Đại học Cần Thơ
Lầu 4, Nhà Điều Hành, Khu II, đường 3/2, P. Xuân Khánh, Q. Ninh Kiều, TP. Cần Thơ
Điện thoại: (0292) 3 872 157; Email: tapchidhct@ctu.edu.vn
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