Sea Cucumber in the Mediterranean: A Potential Species for Aquaculture in the Mediterranean

Abstract

Sea cucumbers are now a global product known by the Chinese as “beche-de-mer,” “trepang,” or “haisom” and are almost unexploited resources in the Mediterranean region. They are currently harvested in the Mediterranean region and exported from Turkey, and the sea cucumber species is currently the most expensive seafood in Catalonia and the Balearic Islands. Considered a delicacy in many Asian countries, there is also growing interest in their medicinal and nutraceutical value. Their successful utilization in the Mediterranean Sea will require continued refinement of aquaculture techniques and development of processes for enhancing the scale of production. Even though the majority of Mediterranean species are not considered high-value products, it is clear that the future of sea cucumber farming has interesting lucrative potential in the Mediterranean and that turning sea cucumbers into aquaculture value-added products could have profitable economic benefits in this region.