Applying CITES for sea cucumber conservation: A structured review across the Indo-Pacific

Abstract

International trade regulation under CITES is increasingly used as a market-based mechanism to conserve marine invertebrates, yet implementation of trade provisions remains heterogeneous across regions and taxa. This review evaluates the implementation of CITES Appendix II listings for sea cucumbers with a focus on the Indo-Pacific region. Using a structured review of published and grey literature, contextualised with export data, we examined the preparation of Non‑Detriment Findings (NDFs) and reported trade of sea cucumbers. We assessed the types of data, analytical depth, and technical guidance used in the development of NDFs among countries. We found substantial variation across CITES Parties within the Indo-Pacific region in the structure and evidentiary basis of NDFs, with some Parties relying on empirical stock assessments while others applied precautionary frameworks based on historical or qualitative information, reflecting differences in national context and capacity. For some CITES Parties, trade was delayed or banned, while in others it continued without complete CITES documentation. Despite these gaps, we identify cases where implementation of Appendix II requirements was associated with changes in fisheries administration, data collection or governance processes. These findings suggest that CITES processes can strengthen the administrative and institutional dimensions of national management when legal mandates are matched by scientific, technical, administrative and enforcement capacity, with adequate financial resources to support robust delivery of CITES provisions.

The authors' abstract, as published at the source. Marine Policy, 2026 · DOI ↗