Bioeconomic modeling for a small-scale sea cucumber fishery in Yucatan, Mexico

Abstract

Due to the heavy exploitation of holothurians over the last few decades, it is necessary to implement fishing regulations aimed at reversing this situation. Holothurians require specific regulations that take into account their biology and ecology. Their behavior to group and form patches as a strategy for feeding, defense and reproduction, makes them vulnerable to overfishing. The higher the population density, the higher the catchability coefficient, and because they are sedentary organisms, the catchability does not change significantly until the density is very low. Hence, the stock assessment of holothurians can be improved by analyzing their spatial distribution. This paper proposes a stock assessment technique that considers the spatial distribution pattern of the sea cucumber Isostichopus badionotus from Yucatan, Mexico. A bioeconomic spatial model was developed to explain the interactions between fishing effort allocation, quasi-profits and the population in the short term. Because of the high price of the species and the low production costs, artisanal fishers preferred to maximize short-term quasi-profits, rather than the long-term benefits they could gain with low fishing mortality rates.

Illegal fisheries, environmental crime, and the conservation of marine resources

“…Two species of sea cucumber present in the Yucatan Peninsula (I. badionotus and H. floridana) (DOF 2015) (Figs. 1 & 2) were of minor importance to local fishing communities until 2012, when new opportunities emerged to supply Asian markets (Schachar 2018;Vidal-Hernández et al 2019), Hong Kong in particular (Bennett & Basurto 2018;Hernández-Flores et al 2018). Entry into this new, unregulated fishery did not require previous fishing experience; the sedentary nature and grouping behavior of sea cucumbers makes them very easy to catch even at low densities (Hernández-Flores et al 2018).…”

“…1 & 2) were of minor importance to local fishing communities until 2012, when new opportunities emerged to supply Asian markets (Schachar 2018;Vidal-Hernández et al 2019), Hong Kong in particular (Bennett & Basurto 2018;Hernández-Flores et al 2018). Entry into this new, unregulated fishery did not require previous fishing experience; the sedentary nature and grouping behavior of sea cucumbers makes them very easy to catch even at low densities (Hernández-Flores et al 2018). Captured sea cucumbers are gutted, brined, boiled, and dried, which makes the resulting product easy to conceal and transport (Gamboa-Álvarez et al 2019) (Fig.…”

Spatial Bioeconomic Analysis of Grouper Fishing on the Fisheries Management Framework in Saleh Bay

“…Lebih lanjut Anderson dan Seijo (2010) menjelaskan bahwa distribusi spasial sumber daya ikan tersebut tidak merata dari sisi ukuran, densitas, dan struktur umur, sehingga intensitas upaya penangkapan ikan tersebut juga bersifat heterogen secara spasial. Kegagalan memahami dan memprediksi secara akurat bagaimana distribusi upaya penangkapan ikan secara spasial sebagai implikasi kebijakan akan berpotensi memiliki dampak serius bagi kebijakan perikanan itu sendiri (Hernández-Flores et al, 2018). Oleh karena itu, kajian bioekonomi spasial sangat diperlukan sebagai salah satu tool yang bermanfaat untuk mengetahui distribusi spasial alokasi upaya (trip) penangkapan optimal di Teluk Saleh.…”

“…Oleh karena itu, dibutuhkan desain pengelolaan perikanan kerapu berbasis bioekonomi spasial untuk mengendalikan intensitas penangkapan tersebut. Model bioekonomi spasial ini mampu melihat alokasi spasial interaksi dinamik upaya penangkapan dan total keuntungan ekonomi optimal (Seijo et al, 1998;Hernández-Flores et al, 2018). Secara sederhana, keuntungan ekonomi optimal ditentukan oleh biomassa yang ditangkap, harga dan biaya operasional dengan asumsi besarnya jumlah peluang ketertangkapan, harga dan biaya operasional penangkapan ikan pada setiap lokasi penangkapan sama untuk kasus perikanan di kawasan teluk (Seijo et al, 1998), serta biaya perjalanan (BBM) untuk mencapai fishing ground yang berbeda.…”

Evaluation of the growth and survival rate of the Caribbean Sea cucumber, Isostichopus badionotus (Selenka, 1867), early juveniles produced in captivity

“…Despite Mexico establishing regulatory measures for the fishery of I. badionotus (Diario Oficial de la Federación., 2015;Hernandez-Betancourt et al, 2018), less than a decade after commercial fishery began, the wild populations show signs of overexploitation, indicating risk of collapse (Hernandez-Betancourt et al, 2018;Hernández-Flores, Cuevas-Jiménez, Poot-Salazar, Condal, & Espinoza-Méndez, 2018;Poot-Salazar, Hernandez Flores, & Ardisson, 2015;Purcell et al, 2011). This situation emphasizes the urgent need to develop aquaculture programs for the production of juveniles for commercial farming and to support programs for restoration of the wild populations (Asha & Muthiah, 2007;Guisado, Carrasco, Díaz-Guisado, Maltrain, & Rojas, 2012;Hu et al, 2010;Lovatelli et al, 2004;Rakaj et al, 2018).…”