Sea Cucumber Biology and Aquaculture

Sea cucumbers are benthic echinoderms belonging to the class Holothuroidea, widely distributed from intertidal zones to abyssal depths. They perform essential ecosystem functions through sediment bioturbation and nutrient recycling, influencing microbial communities and primary productivity. Morphologically characterised by an elongated, soft body and an internal calcareous ring, sea cucumbers exhibit diverse feeding modes, predominantly deposit-feeding on organic detritus. Commercial interest has surged owing to their high nutritional value and bioactive compounds such as triterpene glycosides and sulphated polysaccharides, which underpin their use in nutraceuticals and traditional medicine. Aquaculture practices encompass hatchery production of juveniles, on-growing in ponds or sea pens, and community-based ranching in seagrass meadows. Key challenges include disease outbreaks, thermal stress, habitat degradation and genetic management of broodstock. Advances in selective breeding, husbandry protocols and integrated multi-trophic aquaculture are enhancing production efficiency while mitigating environmental impact. The global significance of sea cucumber culture lies in its potential for sustainable livelihoods, marine restoration and value-added product development.

Research from Nature Portfolio

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Sea Cucumber Biology and Aquaculture publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in sea cucumber biology and aquaculture across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Deposit-feeding: A feeding strategy in which organisms ingest sediment to extract organic matter and associated microorganisms.

Photogrammetry: A remote-sensing technique that reconstructs three-dimensional structures from overlapping photographic images.

Bioremediation: The use of living organisms to remove or neutralise pollutants in aquatic ecosystems, often involving microbial and invertebrate consortia.

Holothuroidea: A class within the phylum Echinodermata comprising sea cucumbers, characterised by an elongated body and unique dermal ossicles.

References

1. Detecting habitat preferences and monitoring population dynamics of sea cucumbers in coastal ecosystems through underwater photogrammetry. Journal of Environmental Management (2025).
2. The dynamic changes of flavor characteristics of sea cucumber (Apostichopus japonicus) during puffing revealed by GC–MS combined with HS-GC-IMS. Food Chemistry X (2024).
3. High-Value Components and Bioactives from Sea Cucumbers for Functional Foods—A Review. Marine Drugs (2011).
4. Deposit-Feeding Sea Cucumbers Enhance Mineralization and Nutrient Cycling in Organically-Enriched Coastal Sediments. PLOS ONE (2012).
5. Optimising methods for community-based sea cucumber ranching: Experimental releases of cultured juvenile Holothuria scabra into seagrass meadows in Papua New Guinea. Aquaculture Reports (2016).