Note from the editor

Welcome to the ninth Beche-de-mer Information Bulletin. This issue contains contributions from the various fields of sea cucumber biology and fishery, arranged as in the previous issues. The number of members is still increasing, and we hope that the new members will contribute to future issues.

Since the last issue, the highlight has been the symposium devoted to echinoderm fisheries and aquaculture during the International Echinoderm Conference, which was held in San Francisco in August 1996. The abstracts are presented here and the papers will be published in 1997 by the editor A.A. Balkema (Rotterdam). The increase in overexploitation, now spreading to many coastal zones of the tropical East Pacific is one of the issues discussed.

An original approach is also being carried out in a traditionnal exploitation country - Madagascar - in the context of a regional programme (Commission de l'OcŽan Indien (COI), GICZ). To achieve sustainable exploitation of this fragile resource, the exporters have decided to organise the profession.

Several contributions update the state of the fisheries, as in Tuvalu, California and Washington State, Torres Strait reefs.

In the rubrique 'Asexual reproduction by fission' new observations are reported for the first time on the species Holothuria leucospilota which had been previously cited as reproducing only sexually.

A new rubrique on aquaculture could also be prepared (see ICLARM results in the Solomon Islands). We are looking forward to your suggestions and contributions.

Chantal Conand

Contents

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