SYDNEY, Dec. 10 (Xinhua) -- Western Australia's (WA) niche sea cucumber industry has being recognized for it's environmental sustainability, officials said on Tuesday, allowing beche-de-mer lovers across Asia to chow down with a clear conscience.
The industry's products can now carry the blue eco label, awarded by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) -- the world's leading science-based standard and eco-labelling program for wild capture fisheries.
WA sea cucumbers are harvested by hand, usually through diving or wading, making the impact on the environment and other wildlife low.
Most of the 74 tonnes of sea cucumbers harvested in WA every year end up on plates in East and Southeast Asia, usually as a dried and salted dish known as beche-de-mer or trepang.
"WA is at the forefront of sustainable fisheries management, which makes our seafood some of the best available in the world," WA Fisheries Minister Dave Kelly said.
"The sea cucumber fishery has demonstrated it has minimal impact on the environment, due to the small size of the fishing fleet, the expansive fishing area and harvesting by hand."
Kelly said that WA's fishing practices aim to remain sustainable so that future generations can enjoy wild caught Australian seafood too.
