A biometric study to determine the economic and nutritional value of sea cucumbers (Holothuroidea: Echinodermata) collected from Algeria’s shallow water areas

Abstract

Traditionally in Algeria, sea cucumbers were exploited at a very small scale. Nowadays, however, sea cucumber fisheries are emerging in the Mediterranean Sea due to the high commercial value of these organisms. Three economically important species – Holothuria (Roweothuria) poli, H. (Holothuria) tubulosa and H. (Roweothuria) arguinensis – are common in shallow water areas along Algeria’s coast. In order to enhance and highlight the economic and nutritional value of these unexploited holothurian species, a biometric study estimating the amount of water and pepsin digestion of the dry body wall, was undertaken. The three holothurians species were collected at two stations: Stidia and Hadjadj near the port city of Mostaganem. After their transformation into dried products, called beche-de-mer, we noticed a considerable decrease in their length (50–73%) and weight (88–93%). The dried body wall analysis showed a high moisture rate (over 80%) and pepsin digestibility (varying between 25% and 52%). We compared our results with those obtained for other holothurian species commonly exploited in the Indo-Pacific region.