ecoregions of Venezuela, the distribution of echinoderms requires incorporation of
more detailed spatial analyses that include the entire Venezuelan coastline. It is
expected that they will generate information about their density and other population parameters, including growth, reproduction, feeding and their relation to the
biotic and abiotic characteristics of the environment. It is important to evaluate the
environmental factors that could influence their presence in a certain location,
including studies about their vulnerability to climatic change. This information
will be of great importance, not only for the scientific knowledge and a better
description the autoecologic (individual) and synecologic (community) relations,
but also for development of strategies leading towards the sustainable production
of echinoderms as a resource and their administration, as well as the search of
alternatives to increase their production through aquaculture.
Some studies have considered the echinoderms as model species for ecotoxicologic analyses, as in the case of echinoids (Esclapés 1999). However, there has
been no continuity in these types of evaluations, which are very important because
the Venezuelan coastline is influenced by many anthropogenic influences that have
produced major changes to many habitats.
The studies on sea urchin aquaculture in Venezuela have been encouraging,
having completed the techniques for juvenile production. It is recommended that
such techniques be optimized and concentrate further studies on post-juvenile
growth. Because the gonad is the marketed product from sea urchins, it is necessary to perform studies on the optimization of it production. In contrast with sea
urchins, there has been no research on sea cucumbers aquaculture in Venezuela,
despite their high market value and their detritivorous condition which makes
them attractive for cultivation. Considering that techniques for sea cucumber
aquaculture are being optimized in other countries, particularly in Asiatic regions,
we should take advantage of this technological expansion to set up culture
packages for Venezuelan species. This could also bring environmental benefits,
because it would decrease the current pressure on echinoderm resources from
illegal fisheries. In this sense, population studies on sea cucumber resources are
necessary for their administration. For this, the gathering of information on illegal
fishing is important, such as extracted species, the quantification of the landings
and the identification of places of extraction and commercialization.
The incidental fishing of echinoderms as bycatch also merits study, in particular
the effect of trawls for the ark shell (A. zebra) and other fishing gears on echinoderm populations in different zones of Venezuela.
It is possible that the list of echinoderms in Venezuela be larger than the one
presented here. In particular, the benthos of the deep ocean of Venezuela has been
little studied. Most expeditions covering this area have been made by institutions
of other countries where a great amount of information is deposited. Since access
to these sources is usually difficult, it is necessary to prepare catalogues of echinoderms with information about their biology, ecology, distribution and fisheries
to improve access to knowledge about local echinoderms and with it the promotion
of their studies in Venezuela. These catalogues should include paleontological
information of the species, produced from studies under a geologic and a
266
C. Lodeiros et al.
more detailed spatial analyses that include the entire Venezuelan coastline. It is
expected that they will generate information about their density and other population parameters, including growth, reproduction, feeding and their relation to the
biotic and abiotic characteristics of the environment. It is important to evaluate the
environmental factors that could influence their presence in a certain location,
including studies about their vulnerability to climatic change. This information
will be of great importance, not only for the scientific knowledge and a better
description the autoecologic (individual) and synecologic (community) relations,
but also for development of strategies leading towards the sustainable production
of echinoderms as a resource and their administration, as well as the search of
alternatives to increase their production through aquaculture.
Some studies have considered the echinoderms as model species for ecotoxicologic analyses, as in the case of echinoids (Esclapés 1999). However, there has
been no continuity in these types of evaluations, which are very important because
the Venezuelan coastline is influenced by many anthropogenic influences that have
produced major changes to many habitats.
The studies on sea urchin aquaculture in Venezuela have been encouraging,
having completed the techniques for juvenile production. It is recommended that
such techniques be optimized and concentrate further studies on post-juvenile
growth. Because the gonad is the marketed product from sea urchins, it is necessary to perform studies on the optimization of it production. In contrast with sea
urchins, there has been no research on sea cucumbers aquaculture in Venezuela,
despite their high market value and their detritivorous condition which makes
them attractive for cultivation. Considering that techniques for sea cucumber
aquaculture are being optimized in other countries, particularly in Asiatic regions,
we should take advantage of this technological expansion to set up culture
packages for Venezuelan species. This could also bring environmental benefits,
because it would decrease the current pressure on echinoderm resources from
illegal fisheries. In this sense, population studies on sea cucumber resources are
necessary for their administration. For this, the gathering of information on illegal
fishing is important, such as extracted species, the quantification of the landings
and the identification of places of extraction and commercialization.
The incidental fishing of echinoderms as bycatch also merits study, in particular
the effect of trawls for the ark shell (A. zebra) and other fishing gears on echinoderm populations in different zones of Venezuela.
It is possible that the list of echinoderms in Venezuela be larger than the one
presented here. In particular, the benthos of the deep ocean of Venezuela has been
little studied. Most expeditions covering this area have been made by institutions
of other countries where a great amount of information is deposited. Since access
to these sources is usually difficult, it is necessary to prepare catalogues of echinoderms with information about their biology, ecology, distribution and fisheries
to improve access to knowledge about local echinoderms and with it the promotion
of their studies in Venezuela. These catalogues should include paleontological
information of the species, produced from studies under a geologic and a
266
C. Lodeiros et al.