Holothuria floridana is the second most commercialized tropical western Atlantic Ocean holothuroid after Isostichopus badionotus. Its market value is, on average, one quarter to one third that of I. badionotus. For this reason, its aquaculture potential has been largely overlooked, although the species suffers from similar fisheries and ecological issues as other holothuroids. This work provides a general overview of the recent advances in its aquaculture through a historical and regional lens, focusing on the first large-scale hatchery in the Caribbean, Panama-based PanaSea, comparing it with other efforts in Mexico and Belize and discussing its economic, societal, ecological, and general sustainability potential. While identifying its main problems and providing options to solve them, suggesting future goals, objectives, and guidance.
Biological potential
H floridana widespread distribution throughout the Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico and its relatively generalistic feeding and environment habits makes it easier to procure than other related species. Its simple life cycle, with direct development, hatching as a small juvenile after 3 to 8 days post fertilization, and reaching 0.2 g in under a month while exhibiting high survival rates, also increases its aquaculture potential, providing an easy framework for research and development
Societal aspects
H. floridana presents strong populations in many coastal areas where fishing efforts focused in I. badionotus because of its prize, this reduces competition, poaching and potential crimes towards aquaculture facilities. Its simple life cycle and aquaculture processes makes it an ideal species for impoverished locations with poor infrastructure and unskilled labor, providing an economically sound alternative for development in the region.
Aquaculture technologies
For the past 5 years the research has focused in developing aquaculture processes that leverage the biological and societal characteristics of the species, providing simple, inexpensive, scalable, and resilient technologies. These processes reduce the costs of other more traditional aquaculture systems by around 70% and are simple enough to be transferred to communities. Using locally sourced feeds, reducing the need for complex filtration and pumping systems and electricity, and directly using the sea for scaling up production through hapa pens and sea ranching.
Future
Recent advances with the aquaculture of H. floridana indicate that it can become the cornerstone for large-scale sea cucumber aquaculture in the wider Caribbean. The unique technologies and protocols designed thus far for its production have had rapid success. This should spark increased interest in stakeholders from private and public sectors that will eventually generate and enact the policy changes necessary to explore its full potential in the region.