A significant discovery of a large nursery housing billions of baby sea cucumbers near Sanikiluaq, Nunavut, has provided valuable insights into the species and potential economic opportunities for the Arctic community. Lucassie Arragutainaq, the Sanikiluaq Hunters and Trappers Association manager, mentioned that while the community consumes small sea cucumbers regularly, the larger adult specimens could be exported to markets in China and Japan.
In 2018, scientists from Memorial University in Newfoundland were invited by the association to investigate the Orange-footed sea cucumber, scientifically known as Cucumaria frondosa, for potential inclusion in commercial fishery plans. The following year, guided by community members, Annie Mercier, a professor at the university, and her team discovered the nursery, which was previously unknown to the locals.
Mercier expressed excitement about the find, emphasizing the scarcity of information on sea cucumber nurseries globally due to the elusive nature of these creatures. The team published a study in 2023, detailing the first-ever discovery of a Cucumaria frondosa nursery near Sanikiluaq.
The baby sea cucumbers, measuring less than two millimeters, were found near the ocean surface, contrasting with the adults that reside deeper underwater. Mercier described the nursery as extensive, potentially stretching along the Belcher Islands archipelago coastline below the ocean surface.
Researchers, including Joséphine Pierrat, identified numerous baby sea cucumbers during their study, highlighting the abundance and diversity of the species in the area. By collaborating with the local community, researchers collected samples for further analysis at the Qikitait Centre, facilitating data collection and sharing with the Sanikiluaq Hunters and Trappers Association.
The association aims to gather essential data to support a potential commercial fishery, considering the addition of sea cucumbers to their existing scallop fishery plans. Despite the regulatory challenges, the community sees the fishery as a source of livelihood and a learning opportunity. Pierrat suggested a dual market strategy, processing adult sea cucumbers for export and consuming younger ones locally, potentially creating jobs and economic benefits for the community.