Sea Cucumber Fishing Areas and Fishing Management in Indonesia

The widespread distribution of fishing activities, the low opportunity cost of collecting sea cucumbers, and the straightforward processing into beche-de-mer pose significant global governance issues. This study investigates these challenges in Indonesia. It identifies fishing locations and species harvested, export trends, and critical management questions for the conservation and sustainable fishing of sea cucumber resources. The study confirms 31 sea cucumber fishing areas. Fishers from areas in the Central and East regions of Indonesia harvest a greater diversity of species than in areas located in Western regions. A total of 56 species are known to have been and are still being fished in Indonesia. Most areas’ catches were dominated by lower-value species, raising sustainability concerns for the highest-value species. Despite the relatively stable trend in export volume from 2012 to 2021, sea cucumbers are still only classified under a single product name, ‘teripang’. The study explores the effectiveness of national and local management strategies, including total allowable catch quota systems and minimum legal-size limits aligned with CITES Appendix II provisions, as well as the application of customary law, known as ‘sasi’, within locally managed marine areas. The study notes that the sasi system for managing the use of sea cucumbers has been implemented in 27 areas in Indonesia’s Eastern region.