Overview
The mariculture of sea cucumbers, and in particular sandfish (Holothuria scabra), is regarded as an economically attractive enterprise to meet several challenges faced by small-scale coastal fishing communities in the Philippines.
Community-based sandfish sea ranching is still in its early stages in the Philippines, but
potentially can contribute to livelihoods and help replenish wild stocks.
Together with partners from science institutions in Australia and the Philippines, ACIAR has supported the development of sandfish mariculture, with projects focusing on production and management systems and increasing technical skills to support community-based production.
This technical report is one outcome among many from the research into sandfish mariculture in the Philippines since the early 2000s and trials of community-based sea ranches since 2007. It presents 8 case studies of the experiences of communities and researchers involved in community-based sea ranching over a 10-year period.
The report is a practical resource that can inform future work on community-based sandfish mariculture in the Philippines, and elsewhere.
