Echinoderms
Sea cucumbers are part of a larger animal group or phylum called echinoderms, which also contains starfish and sea urchins. There are in total around 7,600 species recorded in this phylum, and they play an important part in the ocean’s ecosystem.
Sea cucumbers are a delicacy in the cuisine of some Asian countries, and in many regions they are an endangered species. This has led to increased interest in farming sea cucumbers to reduce the pressure on wild populations.
Sea urchins, when they proliferate, can devastate kelp forests. The need to tackle so-called “urchin barrens” has inspired one company, Urchinomics, to create facilities to farm sea urchins gathered from the seabed, removing them from the kelp.
You May Also Like
Sign up to our daily Newsletters
Permission Statement
Yes! I would like to be sent emails from Fish Farmer Magazine
I understand that my personal information will not be shared with any third parties, and will only be used to provide me with useful targeted articles as indicated.
I'm also aware that I can un-subscribe at any point either from each email notification or on My Account screen.
© 2024 Fish Farmer.