Warty Sea Cucumber
Parastichopus parvimensis
Richard Ling/flickr
The Science
The Science
Sea cucumbers can expel their guts in order to defend themselves, and they re-grow their organs afterward. [4]
Taxonomic description
- As a marine invertebrate in class Holothuroidea, it is related to other echinoderms such as sea urchins and sea stars. [1]
- Skeleton is reduced to ossicles in body wall. [2]
- Reaches 30-40 cm in length. [2]
- Has yellow or brown skin with numerous black-tipped projections called papillae. [1]
Distribution
- Found from Baja California, Mexico to Monterey Bay, California between depths of 0-30 m. [1]
Life history
- Broadcast spawning is thought to coincide with phytoplankton blooms. [1]
- Becomes reproductively mature when its weight exceeds 40 g and begins reproducing at approximately 2 years old. [3]
- Spawning season lasts from spring to summer. [4]
- Undergoes annual evisceration during October and November, when it discharges the digestive and respiratory organs. After this, it stops feeding for four weeks until the organs regenerate. [1,4]
- Reproductive organs are reabsorbed in September - October and regenerate in January. [4]
- Larvae float as plankton for 28 days until settling underneath rocks or kelp holdfasts. [4]
Habitat
- Lives in benthic habitats ranging from rocky intertidal to soft-bottom. It typically avoids muddy bottoms and areas of high freshwater run-off. [1,4]
- Prefers to be on hard substrates and will actively move from soft sand or mud. [1,2,4]
- Feeds on detritus (small particles of organic matter) and small organisms living in sediments. [1,4]
- When feeding, it disrupts the bottom sediments to keep the upper seafloor soft and creates habitat for other animals. [1]
- Provides ecosystem services such as recycling organic matter and filtering or softening bottom sediment. [4,6]
The Fishery
The Fishery
Despite being a well-established fishery, sea cucumbers are vulnerable to poaching and illegal fishing. [1,6]
Seasonal availability
- Fishing is available year-round. [5]
Regulatory and managing authority
- As established by the Marine Life Management Act, the California Fish and Game Commission regulates the fishery, and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife manages this fishery in state waters. [8]
Gear type
- Often caught by diving, usually alongside other dive fishers such as sea urchin. [2,3]
Status of the fishery
- Thought to be stable, despite little being known about it. [2]
- Could be susceptible to overfishing due to its high natural mortality and slow growth rate. [6]
- Unknown if the current rate of fishing is sustainable. [2]
- Fisheries are vulnerable to illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing, especially poaching. [6]
Potential ecosystem impacts
- Almost exclusively fished by divers, thereby minimizing bycatch, unlike other species of sea cucumbers, which are fished by trawling and have higher rates of bycatch. [2,3]
- Populations have been decreasing at fishing sites around the Channel Islands. [2,4]
- There was substantial population decline from the 1980s through the 1990s due to lack of regulation but has since begun to recover. [5]
The Seafood
The Seafood
Sea cucumbers are mainly used in Asian cuisine and they are considered a delicacy. [2]
Edible portion
- Can be eaten whole. [2]
- Sometimes just the body wall or gonad is prepared. [2]
Description of meat
- Has little to no taste, but soaks up the flavors it is cooked in. [2]
- Has a gelatinous texture. [2]
Culinary uses
- Often boiled, dried, then salted. [2]
- Can also be frozen or pickled. [2]
- Usually, this species is sold fresh in California. [2]
- Used with flavorful broths or extracts. [2]
- Commonly found in Chinese soups or stews. [2]
- A braised sea cucumber recipe can be found on kuali. [9]
Nutritional information
- Has healthy levels of vitamin A, B1, B2, B3 as well as calcium, magnesium, iron, and zinc. [3]
- Has pharmaceutical uses as an anticoagulant, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-hypertension. [7]
- High in healthy levels of protein and is a low-fat food. [3]
Toxicity report
- Non-toxic. [3]
Seasonal availability
- Year-round. [5]