Mangrove Areas
Echinoderms are virtually absent from the mangroves on the Colombian Pacific
coast, except for a few records of the ophiuroids Amphiodia oerstedii, Microphipholis geminata, and A. squamata, which were found under hard objects on mud
flats, near the roots of red mangrove (Rhizophora sp.), outside of the Bay of
Buenaventura.
Submerged Rocky and Sandy Substrates
These bottoms are located within bays or on the continental shelf of the Colombian
Pacific area. Most sandy and muddy bottoms are enriched with abundant organic
matter from coastal mangroves and rivers, deposited between depths of 5 and 20 m
along the coast. The most abundant species found in these submerged muddy and
organic substrates are Astropecten armatus, A. verrilli, A. regalis and A. brasiliensis peruvianus, Luidia columbia,, L. superba, and Luidia latiradiata. Sandy
bottoms are inhabited by the echinoids Encope laevis and E. micropora
ecuadoriensis.
On submerged rocky bottoms located near Gorgona and Malpelo Islands and
the northern part of the coast (Chocó) the most abundant species are the asteroids
Nidorellia armata, P. unifascalis, P. pyramidatus, the ophiuroid Ophiothrix
spiculata (on sponges), the echinoid Echinometra vanbrunti, and the holothurians
Holothuria portovallartensis and Isostichopus fuscus.
5.4 Aquaculture, Fisheries and Environmental Threats
In the Colombian Caribbean Sea, echinoderms are not included in the diet of native
people. However, some marine resources such as species of sea cucumber are caught
for export. The over-exploitation of sea cucumbers in areas traditionally fished
(Asian countries) has resulted in drastic population declines and even local
extinctions. This has led to the expansion of this fishery in the world, including the
Caribbean, as well as an increase in the number of exploited species. In Colombia,
the first documented record of this fishery is in 2006 (Borrero-Pérez et al. 2010),
when there was a massive collection, mainly of Isostichopus badionotus and
Holothuria mexicana, in the area of Portete (Guajira). However, there are records of
the export of dried sea cucumber (0.55 t) from Colombia to the Asian market in the
year 2001 (Bruckner et al. 2003). In 2005, resolution 2467 of INCODER authorized
two exploratory fishing permits in the Guajira. In none of these cases have the
harvested species or biomass been reported. Recently, in 2008 and 2009, there were
several catches of sea cucumbers in the area of Santa Marta, including the species
Holothuria glaberrima, Holothuria grisea, and Ocnus suspectus (Benavides-Serrato
2009). Despite the ecological and economic importance of these invertebrates, there
172
M. Benavides-Serrato et al.
Echinoderms are virtually absent from the mangroves on the Colombian Pacific
coast, except for a few records of the ophiuroids Amphiodia oerstedii, Microphipholis geminata, and A. squamata, which were found under hard objects on mud
flats, near the roots of red mangrove (Rhizophora sp.), outside of the Bay of
Buenaventura.
Submerged Rocky and Sandy Substrates
These bottoms are located within bays or on the continental shelf of the Colombian
Pacific area. Most sandy and muddy bottoms are enriched with abundant organic
matter from coastal mangroves and rivers, deposited between depths of 5 and 20 m
along the coast. The most abundant species found in these submerged muddy and
organic substrates are Astropecten armatus, A. verrilli, A. regalis and A. brasiliensis peruvianus, Luidia columbia,, L. superba, and Luidia latiradiata. Sandy
bottoms are inhabited by the echinoids Encope laevis and E. micropora
ecuadoriensis.
On submerged rocky bottoms located near Gorgona and Malpelo Islands and
the northern part of the coast (Chocó) the most abundant species are the asteroids
Nidorellia armata, P. unifascalis, P. pyramidatus, the ophiuroid Ophiothrix
spiculata (on sponges), the echinoid Echinometra vanbrunti, and the holothurians
Holothuria portovallartensis and Isostichopus fuscus.
5.4 Aquaculture, Fisheries and Environmental Threats
In the Colombian Caribbean Sea, echinoderms are not included in the diet of native
people. However, some marine resources such as species of sea cucumber are caught
for export. The over-exploitation of sea cucumbers in areas traditionally fished
(Asian countries) has resulted in drastic population declines and even local
extinctions. This has led to the expansion of this fishery in the world, including the
Caribbean, as well as an increase in the number of exploited species. In Colombia,
the first documented record of this fishery is in 2006 (Borrero-Pérez et al. 2010),
when there was a massive collection, mainly of Isostichopus badionotus and
Holothuria mexicana, in the area of Portete (Guajira). However, there are records of
the export of dried sea cucumber (0.55 t) from Colombia to the Asian market in the
year 2001 (Bruckner et al. 2003). In 2005, resolution 2467 of INCODER authorized
two exploratory fishing permits in the Guajira. In none of these cases have the
harvested species or biomass been reported. Recently, in 2008 and 2009, there were
several catches of sea cucumbers in the area of Santa Marta, including the species
Holothuria glaberrima, Holothuria grisea, and Ocnus suspectus (Benavides-Serrato
2009). Despite the ecological and economic importance of these invertebrates, there
172
M. Benavides-Serrato et al.