Credit: Boodhun Ramcharrun (Mauritius)
In addition to the ecological role of sea cucumber in nutrient recycling, there is a growing demand on sea cucumber (known when processed as Bèche-de-mer) in Mauritius whether for food or for medicinal purposes. Starting 2005, the Albion Fisheries Research Centre (AFRC) has launched a program to develop technologies for the breeding and seed production of brown sea cucumber, Bohadschia marmorata and black sea cucumber, Holothuria atra. There are several methods to induce the spawning of sea cucumber including the injection of powerful jet of seawater and thermal stimulation.
