Evaluating the impacts of improving postharvest processing of sea cucumbers in the western Pacific region (Old ID 21051)
Role
Principal Investigator
Description
Sea cucumbers are significant to Pacific Island communities as a high value export commodity - in dried form as 'beche-de-mer'. A major issue facing sea cucumber fishers is the poor quality of processing by them which reduces the value of their product and their resulting income. Support to fishers in processing sea cucumbers to a high export quality, using the best methods, will likely improve their incomes and their concept is the basis for this project. This project partners JCU with Southern Cross University and fisheries departments in Kiribati, Tonga and Fiji. The JCU component of the project will focus particularly on the potential to develop novel (non-dried) methods for sea cucumber processing which may broaden the range of products produced from sea-cucumbers, open up new markets for these products, and increase the overall value of this industry and potential benefits to Pacific Island communities.
Date
01 Jul 2013 - 30 Jun 2017
Project Type
GRANT
Keywords
Sea Cucumber;coastal aquaculture;postharvest;International Development;processing;sandfish
Funding Body
Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research
Amount
118000
Project Team
N/A