Business Proposition
Farming sea cucumber
By Roberto Garcia
IN my last column, I wrote about the commercial production of sea urchin as a viable alternative livelihood in coastal communities. Another related indigenous marine organism considered as a delicacy is the sea cucumber, locally known as balatan, which has a big demand and high market value not only in our country but in China, Hongkong, Singapore and Korea. In fact, the Philippines was the second largest exporter of this marine product way back in 1985, according to government statistics. However, the overexploitation of this sea creature and the widespread destruction of its habitat caused the drastic decline in the wild population and thus the collapse of the industry.
The University of the Philippines Marine Science Institute (UPMSI) based in Bolinao pioneered the breeding and culture of the sea cucumber Holothuria scabra, or sandskin, and designed programs to re-populate the wild stocks and to enable coastal families to culture the hatchery-reared animals as an income generating activity. The project is a success and the institute is urging the government to implement the project nationwide and retain the position as a major exporter of the high-value marine product.
The culture method of sea cucumber, similar to sea urchin, is a low-cost and simple venture. The young animals measuring 10 cm can be gathered in the wild and kept in net enclosures where the bottom is rich in natural food. Supplementary feed such as seaweed, chicken manure, or rice bran can be given.
On the other hand, UPMSI has developed a hatchery system where newly-hatched animals are reared in an ocean nursery and later cultured in so-called open sea ranches where conditions favour good growth. They are grown to 150-200 g weight in 8-10 months.
Farming sea cucumber, together with sea urchin, is an excellent livelihood opportunity for coastal communities for several reasons: it requires small capital and labor; it has a good market price; and most importantly, it is environmentally sound therefore a sustainable activity.
Happy farming!
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