Survey on the Current Status of Small-Scale Artisanal Sea Cucumber Fishing in Kien Giang Province, Vietnam

This study was conducted to assess the status of small-scale artisanal sea cucumber fishing around the islands of Phu Quoc, Nam Du, and Hai Tac, located in Kien Giang Province, Vietnam. A total of 90 sea cucumber fishers were randomly interviewed from October 2018 to March 2019. Results indicate that most fishers (96.7%) consider sea cucumber fishing as an extra income and use simple fishing methods such as diving (free diving and snorkeling), gleaning, and scoop nets. Catch composition (% whole wet weight) comprises five species, of which low- and medium-value species are most commonly harvested, including Holothuria leucospilota (39.5%-58.2%) and Stichopus spp. (29.7%-48.4%), followed by Holothuria atra (7.3%-10.9%) and two high-value species that are rarely found, that is, Holothuria scabra (2.6%-6.6%) and Holothuria nobilis (1.2%-1.6%). Current catch rates for an average fishing trip are 25.8-37.6 kg wet weight per diver, which has declined by 60%-95% over the past 10 y, indicating heavy overexploitation. Currently, the exploitation of sea cucumber in Kien Giang has encountered some difficulties, such as unusual weather, the drastic depletion of high-value stocks, and unstable selling price. This information will be useful for further research related to planning effective management programs for sea cucumber fisheries in the region.