Aquaculture of Sea Cucumbers: A Review and Consolidated Qualitative Profile

Sea cucumbers (Class Holothuroidea) are high-value echinoderms whose demand in global seafood and traditional medicine markets has driven interest in aquaculture. Their benthic detritivorous habits provide ecosystem services such as bioturbation and nutrient recycling, making them attractive for sustainable aquaculture and integrated systems. However, sea cucumber aquaculture faces biological and technical challenges including complex reproductive biology, larval culture sensitivity and broodstock dependency on wild collections. This paper reviews current knowledge on hatchery and grow-out systems. broodstock management, larval rearing, grow-out technologies, breeding enhancements, nutritional requirements, and sustainable practices such as sea ranching and integrated multi-trophic aquaculture (IMTA). Also highlighted are ecological benefits, genetic considerations and future priorities in sea cucumber farming.