FAO Fisheries Technical Paper, No. 272.2 The fishery resources of Pacific island countries |
FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS Rome, 1990
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ISBN 92-5-102508-8
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Conand, C. The fishery resources of Pacific island countries. Part 2. Holothurians. FAO Fisheries Technical Paper, No. 272.2. Rome, FAO. 1989. 143p. The main species of holothurian exploited in the South Pacific are Holothuria scabra, H fuscogilva and H. nobilis, which have high commercial value, Actinopyga echinites, A. miliaris and Thelenota ananas, of medium commercial value, and Holothuria atra, H. fuscopunctata and H mauritiana, whose commercial value is low. Knowledge of the biology of these species is reviewed in detail, as are resource assessment methods. An example of the possible use of remote sensing for estimating potential is given. Harvesting and processing techniques and commodity grading are also discussed, while a chapter focussing on the principal markets for bêche-de-mer, Hong Kong and Singapore concludes that an increase in exports from the countries and territories of the South Pacific is possible if they can supply a consistently good-quality product on a regular basis. |
PREPARATION OF THIS PAPER
ABSTRACT
CONTENTS
1.1 International trade in echinoderms
1.2 History of research on holothurian fisheries
1.3 Background information on the southern tropical Pacific1.3.1 An introduction to the region
1.3.2 Countries and territories
1.3.3 Coastal zones and resources
2.1 Holothurians2.1.1 General characteristics2.2 The holothurian as a commodity
2.1.2 Anatomy and biology
2.1.3 Distribution2.2.1 Consumption of fresh sea cucumber
2.2.2 The bêche-de-mer industry - world statistics and the importance of the South Pacific
3.1 Introduction
3.2 From the origins to the nineteenth century
3.3 Nineteenth century
3.4 First half of the twentieth century
3.5 Traditional consumption and commercial trade in the South Pacific today
4.1 Introduction
4.2 Species with high commercial value4.2.1 Holothuria scabra and H. scabra var. versicolor, the ´sandfish´4.3 Species with medium commercial value4.2.1.1 Description and distribution4.2.2 Holothuria nobilis and H. fuscogilva, the ´teatfish´
4.2.1.2 Morphological parameters and biometric relationships
4.2.1.3 Reproduction
4.2.1.4 Growth4.2.2.1 Description and distribution
4.2.2.2 Morphometric parameters and biometric relationships
4.2.2.3 Reproduction
4.2.2.4 Growth4.3.1 Actinopyga echinites, ´redfish´4.4 Species with low commercial value4.3.1.1 Description and distribution4.3.2 Actinopyga miliaris, ´blackfish´
4.3.1.2 Morphometric parameters and biometric relationships
4.3.1.3 Reproduction
4.3.1.4 Growth
4.3.3 Thelenota ananas, ´prickly redfish´4.3.3.1 Description and distribution
4.3.3.2 Biometrics and reproduction
4.3.3.3 Growth4.4.1 Holothuria atra
4.4.2 Holothuria fuscopunctata
4.4.3 Holothuria mauritiana
5.1 Resource assessment methods5.1.1 Estimating abundance of species5.2 Holothurian resource survey results5.1.1.1 Fishery statistics; CPUE5.1.2 Biotope definition and mapping
5.1.1.2 Use of fishing gear
5.1.1.3 Direct visual assessment of densities
5.1.1.4 Indirect visual assessment5.1.2.1 Definition of biotopes
5.1.2.2 Mapping5.2.1 Papua New Guinea5.3 Examples of the use of remote-sensing for resource assessment
5.2.2 Solomon Islands
5.2.3 Fiji
5.2.4 Tuvalu
5.2.5 Truk
5.2.6 Australia (Queensland)
5.2.7 New Caledonia5.2.7.1 Calculation of CPUE5.2.8 Other areas
5.2.7.2 Distribution and abundance of the various species5.3.1 Introduction5.4 Conclusions
5.3.2 Thematic mapping and resource estimation5.3.2.1 Methods5.3.3 Discussion
5.3.2.2 Example of a fringing reef
5.3.2.3 Example of an islet reef
6.1 Harvesting holothurians
6.2 Processing techniques6.2.1 General practice6.3 Product grading
6.2.2 Treatment for ´sandfish´
6.2.3 Size and weight changes during processing6.3.1 Quality rating
6.3.2 Weight-length relationships in bêche-de-mer
7.1 General
7.2 Hong Kong market7.2.1 History7.3 Singapore market
7.2.2 Recent trends7.3.1 History7.4 Conclusions
7.3.2 Recent trends
8.1 Introduction
8.2 Sampling holothurian fisheries8.2.1 Harvest statistics8.3 Survey of commercial holothurian stocks
8.2.2 Bêche-de-mer production statistics
8.2.3 Bêche-de-mer export statistics8.3.1 Assessment of abundance of stocks8.4 Economic and social aspects
8.3.2 Study of population parameters8.4.1 Economic aspects8.5 Regulating the industry
8.4.2 Social aspects
8.6 Stock improvement methods and aquaculture
8.7 Conclusion
Appendix I: Hong Kong bêche-de-mer market (1983-1985)
Appendix II: Singapore bêche-de-mer market (1983-1985)
Appendix III: List of bêche-de-mer importers