Aboriginal Communal Fisheries of Sea Cucumber: Social Implications, Environmental Considerations, and Post-Season Monitoring

The Maliseet of Viger First Nation have entered commercial fisheries in 1997 with snow crab and have expanded their fisheries ever since with other species like northern shrimp, ground fish, sea urchin, whelk and, most recently, sea cucumber. The Nation’s sea cucumber fishery started in 2013 and occurs in the St. Lawrence estuary. Revenues from this fishery are shared and contribute to the social well-being and economic development of the Nation. Locally, in the St. Lawrence estuary, the sea cucumber fisheries is still recent and at its beginning. However, globally, several stocks over the world have been depleted due to over-harvest and weak management practices. As a consequence, harvest in the St. Lawrence has to be carefully managed in order to minimize its environmental effects and to be sustainable for the next seven generations. Following the 2013 harvest, a post-season survey was initiated to monitor the effects of this fishery on the benthic environment. Management recommendations are provided based on the survey results and the experience gained during a first year in sea cucumber fisheries.