A groundbreaking discovery of a vast sea cucumber nursery teeming with billions of juvenile sea cucumbers near Sanikiluaq, Nunavut, is shedding new light on the species and holds potential economic opportunities for the Arctic community. Lucassie Arragutainaq, the head of the Sanikiluaq Hunters and Trappers Association, mentioned that his community regularly consumes young sea cucumbers, while the mature ones could be exported to markets in China and Japan.

In an effort to explore the commercial potential of including the sea cucumber species in plans for a scallop fishery, the association collaborated with scientists from Memorial University in Newfoundland to investigate Cucumaria frondosa, commonly known as the Orange-footed sea cucumber, in 2018. Led by Annie Mercier, a professor at the university’s ocean sciences department, the team, with the guidance of local residents, discovered the nursery the following year, a revelation that surprised the community.

Mercier expressed excitement about the find, highlighting the scarcity of knowledge surrounding sea cucumber nurseries globally due to their elusive nature. The team’s findings were detailed in a 2023 article in the peer-reviewed journal Polar Science, marking the first-ever discovery of a Cucumaria frondosa nursery. The nursery, stretching along the Belcher Islands archipelago coastline at depths of one to three meters below the ocean surface, harbors baby sea cucumbers measuring less than two millimeters, resembling pink specks on rocks and mussel shells.

The vast nursery has opened up new avenues for research, enabling investigations into the growth and behavior of young sea cucumbers, essential for species management. Researchers, including Joséphine Pierrat, a postdoctoral researcher at Memorial University, noted the abundance of baby sea cucumbers during their recent studies in Sanikiluaq, underscoring the importance of community collaboration in data collection and analysis to support potential commercial fishing endeavors.

The Sanikiluaq community is contemplating the addition of sea cucumbers to their existing scallop fishery plans, understanding the importance of sustainable practices to safeguard the species and ensure long-term benefits for residents. Arragutainaq emphasized the potential job creation and economic opportunities a sea cucumber fishery could bring to the community, hinting at dual market possibilities where adult sea cucumbers could be processed for export while younger ones could be locally consumed, either raw or roasted, offering a novel food source.