The 19th Conference of Parties (COP19) to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) in Panama City has accepted a proposal to include sea cucumbers ( genus Thelenota) in Appendix II of the Convention.
Key points
- Appendix II classification means that the species is not facing the threat of extinction. However, its trade must be regulated to avoid exploitation that will become incompatible to its survival.
- The European Union, the Seychelles and the United States proposed three species under Thelenota to be included in Appendix II.
About Sea cucumbers
- Sea cucumbers are invertebrates that can grow to up to six feet in length. Sea cucumbers belong to the taxonomic class Holothuroidea and are placed under the Echinodermata phylum, which also includes many other well-known marine invertebrates, such as sea stars, sea urchins and sand dollars.
- They are in high demand in China and some parts of South East Asia for food and traditional medicine.
- India is treating it as a species listed under schedule I of Wildlife Protection Act of 1972. A total ban on their harvesting and transportation in any form has existed in India since 2001.
- Sea cucumbers perform the same role on the seabed that earthworms perform on land.
- An analysis published by the Wildlife Conservation Society-India (WCS-India) in September 2022 showed that sea cucumbers were the most frequently trafficked marine species in India from 2015-2021.
- Tamil Nadu had recorded the highest number of marine wildlife seizures during this period, according to the analysis. The state was followed by Maharashtra, Lakshadweep and Karnataka.
About CITES Appendices
- The species covered by CITES are listed in three Appendices, according to the degree of protection they need.
- Appendix I includes species threatened with extinction. Trade in specimens of these species is permitted only in exceptional circumstances.
- Appendix II includes species not necessarily threatened with extinction, but in which trade must be controlled in order to avoid utilization incompatible with their survival.
- Appendix III contains species that are protected in at least one country and each Party is entitled to make unilateral amendments to it.
