Octopus and sea cucumber fisheries I6

In the WIO, there are numerous invertebrate fisheries that an MPA may have to consider. Two of the
commonest and most valuable are octopus and sea cucumber. Both of these are artisanal fisheries, both
are poorly documented, and both are being over-exploited. This sheet provides some suggestions as to
how MPAs might assist in their sustainable management.

Artisanal fishing for octopus and sea cucumbers is an or ‘bêche-de-mer’. As sea cucumbers are sessile and
important economic and subsistence activity throughout defenceless (apart from sticky threads some species exude)
the WIO. Both are fished from intertidal reef flats and they are hand collected on the intertidal reef flat when
subtidal reefs during low water spring tides. With the walking, and in deeper water either by snorkelling or using
arrival of marine product processors and foreign buyers in SCUBA.
recent years, fishing intensity for both groups has risen
markedly, placing greater pressure on these resources. Due to their ease of collection, these important detritivores
are prone to localised overfishing yet the effects of their
OCTOPUS removal are not fully understood. Size limits may be
Octopuses have been collected for centuries in the WIO appropriate for some species of sea cucumber, and the
and are a favoured food item. Octopus cyanea is the main potential for listing sea cucumbers under CITES is being
target species and usually comprises 99% of the catch. discussed. Few countries have regulations for the fishery,
Octopuses are collected either by walking over the lower but in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, sea cucumbers
reaches of the intertidal reef flat or by snorkelling along the are managed as one of several ‘harvest fisheries’ which
reef edge. There is little information on the WIO fishery but means that a permit is needed, numbers issued are
an estimated 600 tonnes are taken each year in Tanzania. restricted, and certain areas are closed to fishing.

Octopuses grow extremely fast, increasing in weight by as

much as 200g in only ten days, and thus potentially
supporting a highly productive fishery. This is only possible
if it is well managed, which requires a good understanding
of the life-history. When females are ready to spawn, which
happens only once in their lifetime, they barricade their
den. Following spawning, they attach the eggs to the den
roof, clean and aerate them for about 30 days, and then die.
The ‘brooding’ is essential for successful hatching, and so a

M. Richmond
reduction of fishing pressure during this season is highly
recommended. Furthermore, as females normally brood at
their largest size, fishing of large individuals could reduce
recruitment and eventually stock size. In heavily fished Octopus being sun-dried on Rodrigues Island.
areas both size and weight of octopus is often low, and
reproductive output may already be affected.
POTENTIAL MANAGEMENT ACTIONS
A licensing scheme, agreed jointly by octopus fishers and Monitoring programmes for sea cucumber and octopus
relevant government departments, would help to provide fisheries should be established where possible, with catch
the information on catch and effort that is needed for and effort data collected for at least one spring tide per
management. It would also permit regulation of fishing month, although a quarterly time scale may be adequate.
effort by restricting numbers of licences. Maximum size Local data collection teams could be used, if trained and
limits should also be considered, although this might be supervised. A regional training course on identification
difficult to implement as the value of octopus increases would probably be necessary as sea cucumber taxonomy is
with weight. complex. Data should be analysed at least annually to
provide regular assessments of the fishery and to
SEA CUCUMBER determine the management actions needed.
About 80 species of sea cucumber occur in shallow waters
of the Indian Ocean. They have been collected since the O. cyanea has been shown to brood year round but with
1940s in the WIO, when commercial collection started in seasonal peaks (June-August in Tanzania) in spawning
Madagascar. While not consumed in the region, at least 24 activity. During such peaks it would be beneficial to either
species are dried and exported to South-East Asia where stop fishing or reduce fishing intensity in the main
they are considered a delicacy, the main ones being: brooding zone (sub-tidal areas). Further research may find
Thelenota ananas, Stichopus hermanni, S. chloronotus, similar spawning peaks in sea cucumbers’ reproductive
Holothuria scabra, H. atra, H. nobilis, H. fuscogilva, and cycles, and seasonal closures could similarly be
Bohadschia sp.. Dried sea cucumber is known as ‘trepang’ recommended.

Managing Marine Protected Areas: A TOOLKIT for the Western Indian Ocean Sheet I6
Fishing could also be restricted to a maximum of six days
over the spring tide with no fishing allowed during neap
CASE STUDY
tides. This would ensure a minimum number of no-fishing
days during which octopus and sea cucumbers could Using an MPA to help manage invertebrate
recover. Rotational fishing regimes with a different area
exploited each day during the spring tide would also help to
fisheries in Madagascar
maintain a healthy size range and stock size. In Mafia Island Nosy Atafana Marine Park, in north-east Madagascar, is
Marine Park, Tanzania, octopus fishing is already prohibited part of the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve of Mananara-Nord.
during neap tides and there is a maximum size limit of 500g. The Marine Park is small (10 sq km), but covers three
islands and their surrounding reefs. The area is important
for artisanal fishing and reef fish, but also for a number of
KEY POINTS FOR THE MPA invertebrates including octopus, sea cucumbers, lobsters,
and bait. All these activities were unregulated prior to
❑ Initiate a monitoring programme for sea cucumbers gazettement of the Marine Park.
and octopus (the ReefCheck protocol includes sea
cucumbers as an indicator species – see sheet G3). The Marine Park was established through an agreement
❑ Include the issue of over-exploitation of sea between the Mananara Biosphere programme and the local
cucumbers and octopus in awareness raising community. It has a central core zone where no activities
materials produced by the MPA. are allowed and a buffer zone were fishing is regulated. The
❑ Support research on sea cucumbers and octopus, agreement stipulates that the Marine Park is open to
especially where this will contribute to fishing on three days of the week only, that fishing is
understanding the role that MPAs might play in restricted to fishers from four adjacent villages, and that
their conservation and management. fishing for lobsters and sea cucumbers is prohibited
❑ Where exploitation is allowed within an MPA, throughout the area. Two park rangers patrol the Park on
consider limiting it to spring tides and/or days when fishing is permitted to check that fishing gear
introducing seasonal closures and rotational fishing and catches are in compliance with the regulations that are
regimes. part of the joint agreement. Contravention of regulations is
punished with a ban on fishing in the Park for two weeks
to three months, depending on the nature of the offence.
Sources of further information The catches are monitored from landings at the fishing
Boyle, P.R., & Rodhouse, P.G., (in press). Cephalopods. Iowa State villages.
University Press, 1st edition, 352pp.
Bruckner, A.W., Johnson, K.A. & Field, J.D. 2003. Conservation Octopus is an important resource for many of the
strategies for sea cucumbers: Can a CITES Appendix II listing fishermen, and for some it is their sole source of income.
promote sustainable international trade? SPC Bêche-de-mer Info. They are collected on foot with a harpoon, and there were
Bull. 18. concerns that this was resulting in damage to live coral on
the reef flat. With the reduction in the number of days
Conand C, 1999. Manuel de qualité des holothuries commerciales du
that the area is fished, it is thought that some recovery of
Sud-Ouest de l’Océan Indien. PRE/COI: 39pp.
the reef flat is occurring, and that there has been an
Conand, C. 2001. Overview of sea cucumbers fisheries over the last increase in reef fish catches. In addition, the Mananara
decade - what possibilities for a durable management? In: Barker (ed.) Biosphere Programme is running trials with bamboo
Echinoderm 2000, Swets & Zeitlinger: p. 339-344. octopus traps with a view to introducing these as a less
Guard, M. & Mgaya, Y.M. 2000. The artisanal fishery for Octopus destructive fishing method.
cyanea Gray (1949) in Tanzania. Ambio 31 (7-8): 528-536.
Grandcourt, E., Andrianarivo, C., Rene de Roland, L. and
Lovatelli, A. et al. (eds.) In press. Advances in sea cucumber
Rajaonarison, R. Status and Management of the Marine Protected
aquaculture and management. FAO, Rome.
Areas in Madagascar. Report to Eastern African Component of
Marshall, N., Milledge, S.A.H. & Afonso, P.S. (eds.) 2001. Stormy ICRAN – International Coral Reef Action Network.
Seas for Marine Invertebrates: trade in sea cucumbers, sea shells and
lobsters in Kenya, Tanzania and Mozambique. TRAFFIC East/
Southern Africa, Nairobi, Kenya.
Norman, M.D. 2000. Cephalopods: A World Guide. Conchbooks,
Germany.
Samyn, Y. 2000. Conservation of aspidochirotid holothurians in the
littoral waters of Kenya. SPC Bêche-de-mer Info. Bull. 13: 12-17.
M. Richmond

South Pacific Commission Bêche-de-mer Information Bulletins 1-19.

Noumea New Caledonia.(English and French) www.spc.int/coastfish/
Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority www.gbrmpa.gov.au – Thelenota ananas, one of more than 20 species of sea cucumber
information on sea cucumber fishery regulations. collected in the WIO.

Sheet I6 Managing Marine Protected Areas: A TOOLKIT for the Western Indian Ocean