Ministry of fisheries lifts ban on sea cucumber
citing humanitarian reasons

BY SAMIE WAIKORI

Beche-de-mer harvest is now open.

The Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resource (MFMR) officially lifted the ban on beche-de-mer (sea
cucumber) harvest effective on April 22.

MFMR said it has reopened sea cucumber harvesting following requests by rural communities who
depend on the fishery for their income.

MFMR has not mentioned any timeframe for the open season. So, it is unclear when it will end.
The lift means the official order prohibiting fishing or possession of beche-de-mer is revoked,
allowing fishers, stakeholders and licence holders to engage in beche-de-mer activities.

The revocation order was issued by the Director of Fisheries and Marine Resource, Edward
Honiwala, and reads; “I, Edward Honiwala, Director of Fisheries, under section 22(2) of the Fisheries Management Act 2015 (No. 2 of 2015) and with reference to section 36(a) of the Interpretation and General Provisions Act (Cap. 85), revoke the Order prohibiting fishing or possession of beche-de-mer (published as Legal Notice No. 226 of 2021), with effect on and from 22 April 2025.”

In statement from MFMR, the previous prohibition order restricted the harvesting, in possession of,
landing, buying, selling, receiving and export of beche-de-mer to ensure the recovery of sea
cucumber stocks.

The MFMR confirmed that the lifting of the ban is based on humanitarian grounds and the need to
support the livelihoods of rural communities who rely on the beche-de-mer fishery as a critical
source of income.

The lift also came following an endorsement by Cabinet last week, advising MFMR to work on a
timeframe for beche-de-mer harvesting to resume.

“The Ministry remains committed to ensuring that this valuable resource is sustainably harvested
and managed for the long-term benefit of our communities and economy,” MFMR said.

The Ministry urges all fishers and exporters to comply with the licensing requirements, management
measures, and export controls that are still in place to ensure the sustainability of the fishery.

The ban on harvesting beche-de-mer took place on September 1, 2022 when the ministry saw that
more and more undersized beche-de-mer were being caught for export, indicating a critical
depletion in stocks.

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