Author: Masahiro Ito, SPC external consultant

Title: A hatchery operations manual for rearing sandfish, Holothuria scabra, in Tarawa, Republic of Kiribati

Source: SPC

Date: 2014

Key Words: sandfish, hatchery, broodstock, spawning, larval, juvenile

Abstract: Presently, the sea cucumber industry in Kiribati consists of sporadic and intense harvesting at a given island lagoon until local stocks are wiped out. Businessmen and harvesters sometimes then move on to another location where stocks are abundant.

In February 2013, 120 sandfish broodstock, all juveniles averaging 90 g in wet weight, were imported from Fiji. The sandfish were quarantined for three months, and during this period no artificial food was provided (only natural plankton). After the quarantine period, the sandfish were divided into two groups of 60 animals each. One group was placed in a fish pond (Fig. 1) near the airport and the other group was placed in a concrete tank at Tanaea Hatchery in north Tarawa.