Sea Cucumbers
The sandfish (Holothuria scabra) and golden sandfish (Holothuria lessoni) will be reared to help meet the demand for hatchery produced juveniles in the nascent sea ranching industry of the greater Indian Ocean.
Long considered some of the most profitable invertebrates in aquaculture, sandfish (H. scabra, H. lessoni,) can sell at retail prices up to 600 US$/kg in dry weight. Hatchery production of individuals is currently a limiting factor in the industry, and we aim to selectively produce juveniles tolerant to domestication through factors such as handling, sorting and thermal stress. This will help build a resilient sea cucumber industry with faster market maturity whilst adapting to a rapidly changing climate.
