Stock assessment of the warty sea cucumber fishery (Parastichopus parvimensis) of NW Baja California

The catch of the warty sea cucumber Parastichopus parvimensis of northwestern Baja California declined since 1997 from 622 metric tons to almost one third through the last thirteen years, in a relatively stable harvest. The fishery employs 294 fishermen, with annual profits of $243,000 used. The goal of the study was to assess the stock biomass, the socioeconomic performance of the fishery, and to evaluate harvesting scenarios. A relative constancy of fishing mortality (F) and the stock biomass were observed the last thirteen years. Current profits per fisher are near the maximum the fishery can produce, which is profitable under a narrow combination of age of first catch and F. Fishermen seem to avoid unprofitable activity when fishing intensity increases, so there is an apparent tendency to reduce economic risk by exerting a low effort. Immature animals are exploited, but under the low F applied, the stock can withstand it without showing signs of depletion.