Decadal changes in value of dried sea cucumbers (bêche-de-mer) in Hong Kong markets

Abstract

Sea cucumbers in their dried form, bêche-de-mer or trepang, have been in high demand for four decades, causing relentless exploitation pressure on fisheries. Key aspects unknown are the temporal trends in prices of different species and potential impacts of external factors. We recorded prices and measured dried specimens of 20 sea cucumber species in 38 retail shops in Hong Kong in 2022 and compared prices obtained for 15 of these species in the same market in 2011 and/or 2016. Two temperate-water species (Apostichopus japonicus and A. nigripunctatus) were the most valuable but declined slightly in price over the 11-year period. All of the tropical species rose in price. Holothuria lessoni emerged as the most valuable tropical species (average: USD$503) and was scarce in the marketplace. Two Indo-Pacific species recently enlisted on CITES Appendix II, H. nobilis and H. whitmaei, were also seldom found in the marketplace and their value had risen greater than inflationary expectations. Also rare in the marketplace was the high-valued Isostichopus badionotus. Larger specimens of A. japonicus and H. scabra demanded exponentially higher prices than small individuals, with implications for fisheries and aquaculture. Significant aquaculture production for both of these species does not appear to have greatly quelled market demand. Despite potential disruptions during the COVID pandemic, overall demand for bêche-de-mer remains strong. The increases in retail prices for certain over-exploited species, potentially exacerbated by trade restrictions from CITES listings, beckons careful resource monitoring by fishery managers and continuing opportunities for aquaculture programs.