Sea cucumber stock

Species

  • Black teatfish (Holothuria whitmaei)
  • Burrowing blackfish (Actinopyga spinea)
  • Herrmanni curryfish (Stichopus herrmanni)
  • Prickly redfish (Thelenota ananas)
  • Vastus curryfish (Stichopus vastus)
  • White teatfish (Holothuria fuscogilva)

Fish stock status

Although a species may be classified as sustainable under the Status of Australian Fish Stocks (SAFS) framework, this does not mean that the stock is meeting Queensland targets under the harvest strategy.

Common nameSpeciesStock20232020201820162014
White TeatfishHolothuria fuscogilvaEast Coast Sea Cucumber FisherySustainableSustainableSustainableNot AssessedNot Assessed
Burrowing BlackfishActinopyga spineaEast Coast QueenslandUndefinedSustainableNot AssessedNot AssessedNot Assessed

Black teatfish

Burrowing blackfish

The 2024 stock assessments used current biological data, survey data, and commercial catch data to:

  • determine the sustainability of the stocks
  • help inform management decisions
  • inform the application of the sea cucumber harvest strategy

The assessments used Stock Synthesis, a modelling framework that was developed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (United States).

Bunker Reef stock

The assessment estimated that the burrowing blackfish stock at Bunker reef was between 78% and 109% of unfished levels, and most probably at around 92%.

Biomass estimates and key management actions

Chart of Queensland stock assessment biomass estimates and key management actions for burrowing blackfish stock at Bunker Reef.
Chart of Queensland stock assessment biomass estimates and key management actions for burrowing blackfish stock at Bunker Reef.
© Queensland Government

Estimated harvest from 1996 to 2023

Estimated harvest for burrowing blackfish at Bunker Reef from 1996 to 2023.
Estimated harvest for burrowing blackfish at Bunker Reef from 1996 to 2023.
© Queensland Government

Gould Reef stock

The assessment estimated that the burrowing blackfish stock at Gould reef was between 51% and 101% of unfished levels, and most probably at around 72%.

Biomass estimates and key management actions

Chart of Queensland stock assessment biomass estimates and key management actions for burrowing blackfish stock at Gould Reef.
Chart of Queensland stock assessment biomass estimates and key management actions for burrowing blackfish stock at Gould Reef.
© Queensland Government

Estimated harvest from 2000 to 2023

Estimated harvest for burrowing blackfish stock at Gould Reef from 2000 to 2023.
Estimated harvest for burrowing blackfish stock at Gould Reef from 2000 to 2023.
© Queensland Government

Herrmanni curryfish

The 2024 stock assessment used current biological data, survey data, and commercial catch data to:

  • determine the sustainability of the stocks
  • help inform management decisions
  • inform the application of the sea cucumber harvest strategy

The assessments used Stock Synthesis, a modelling framework that was developed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (United States).

The assessment estimated that the herrmanni curryfish stock was between 81% and 141% of unfished levels, and most probably at around 103%.

Biomass estimates and key management actions

Chart of Queensland stock assessment biomass estimates and key management actions for Herrmanni curryfish.
Chart of Queensland stock assessment biomass estimates and key management actions for Herrmanni curryfish.
© Queensland Government

Estimated harvest from 2007 to 2023

Estimated Herrmanni curryfishharvest from 2007 to 2023.
Estimated Herrmanni curryfishharvest from 2007 to 2023.
© Queensland Government

Prickly redfish

The 2024 stock assessment used current biological data, survey data, and commercial catch data to:

  • determine the sustainability of the stocks
  • help inform management decisions
  • inform the application of the sea cucumber harvest strategy

The assessments used Stock Synthesis, a modelling framework that was developed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (United States).

The assessment estimated that the prickly redfish stock was between 73% and 116% of unfished levels, and most probably at around 91%.

Biomass estimates and key management actions

Chart of Queensland stock assessment biomass estimates and key management actions for
Chart of Queensland stock assessment biomass estimates and key management actions for
© Queensland Government

Estimated harvest from 1995 to 2023

Estimated prickly redfish harvest from 1995 to 2023.
Estimated prickly redfish harvest from 1995 to 2023.
© Queensland Government

Vastus curryfish

The 2024 stock assessment used current biological data, survey data, and commercial catch data to:

  • determine the sustainability of the stocks
  • help inform management decisions
  • inform the application of the sea cucumber harvest strategy

The assessments used Stock Synthesis, a modelling framework that was developed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (United States).

The assessment estimated that the vastus curryfish stock was between 65% and 124% of unfished levels, and most probably at around 87%.

Biomass estimates and key management actions

Chart of Queensland stock assessment biomass estimates and key management actions for vastus curryfish.
Chart of Queensland stock assessment biomass estimates and key management actions for vastus curryfish.
© Queensland Government

Estimated harvest from 2007 to 2023

Estimated vastus curryfish harvest from 2007 to 2023.
Estimated vastus curryfish harvest from 2007 to 2023.
© Queensland Government

White teatfish

Ecological risk assessment

Assessed in the Queensland sea cucumber fishery.

Management

Sea cucumber fishery:

Last updated: 10 Jul 2024