Sandfish seed production

Abstract

Sandfish, Holothuria scabra, is one of the most valued sandfish species on the market. Its fisheries provide additional source of income for coastal towns, especially for local fishers and their families. Sandfish can be harvested through basic artisanal methods such as gleaning, hand-catching, and diving in intertidal to shallow seagrass and reef habitats. Due to the simplicity of the collection method and its high market value, harvesting of sandfish has increased over the years. The fishing activities potentially depleted its wild population in many areas across the globe.

The development of aquaculture for sandfish is the answer to its dwindling population and increasing commercial need. Scientists and researchers all around the world have developed and optimized new aquaculture procedures to improve stock health and avoid future stock decline.

This module focuses on the operations involved in the hatchery and nursery phases of sandfish cultivation. These operations are discussed and put into practice through a series of lectures and practical workshops on hatchery facility, broodstock management, spawning, larval rearing, nursery rearing, and harvest.