SAMARKAND, Uzbekistan— Nations voted today to adopt landmark protections for heavily traded golden sandfish sea cucumbers. But they failed to protect six sea cucumber species in the genus Actinopyga, despite their key role in maintaining healthy sea floor and coral reef ecosystems across the Indo-Pacific region.

Countries at the 20th conference of the parties to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species also voted to ban trade in critically endangered oceanic whitetip sharks, coveted for the fin trade. Several other sharks will be considered for trade protections tomorrow.

“I’m thrilled that countries acted decisively to safeguard the golden sandfish sea cucumber, but it’s disappointing they left the Actinopyga species behind,” said Alex Olivera, a senior scientist at the Center for Biological Diversity, who is attending the meeting. “These fascinating creatures play an essential role in keeping our ocean healthy and helping the economies of many Indo-Pacific countries. These new protections will help stop uncontrolled exploitation of the golden sandfish and allow sea cucumber populations to recover across the region.”

The sea cucumbers are heavily fished for bêche-de-mer, a dried product widely consumed across East and Southeast Asia. Bêche-de-mer is considered a delicacy, often commanding very high prices, and demand has driven a rise in fishing across much of the Indo-Pacific. Golden sandfish is one of the most valuable species in this trade, while the Actinopyga species of sea cucumbers have increasingly been targeted as higher-value species have declined.

All these sea cucumber species are slow-growing, vulnerable to overfishing and act as “reef recyclers”—they turn over sediments, recycle nutrients and help buffer local ocean chemistry, which can support coral growth and reef health.

In addition to the sea cucumber listings, the countries also approved several important marine-animal protections, while declining to protect eels:

• Sharks: Parties banned trade in critically endangered whitetip sharks. International trade in shark meat and fins has driven severe population declines. This listing firmly closes the international commercial market for this highly imperiled shark species.
• Marine ornamental fish: The parties agreed to continue CITES' work addressing the massive global aquarium trade. Each year, millions of live marine ornamental fish are imported into the United States alone, most plucked directly from their wild habitats. Despite recognition that this trade lacks monitoring and raises sustainability concerns, there were no proposals for protections of any marine ornamental fish at CoP20.
• Eels: But nations declined to extend trade protections to endangered eels, despite clear evidence of severe overexploitation driven by demand for unagi and other high-value dishes. Trade in wild-caught juvenile “glass eels” will remain unregulated even though aquaculture depends entirely on these wild animals, leaving already depleted eel populations at serious risk.

“The positive decisions reflect a growing international consensus that marine species, from deep-sea invertebrates to coastal sharks, need the same attention and protections historically reserved for charismatic land animals,” said Olivera. “That’s a big step forward for conservation.”

Background

Sea cucumbers, sharks, rays and marine iguanas are heavily targeted for international trade — for food, luxury markets, traditional uses and the exotic pet industry. Many species have slow growth rates, late maturity and limited reproductive capacity, making them exceptionally vulnerable to overexploitation. The adoption of new CITES Appendix II listings means exporting countries must now ensure that trade does not threaten wild populations.

The Center has long advocated for these protections and worked with scientists, governments and civil-society partners to advance science-based conservation measures.