Sea Cucumbers have been harvested worldwide for many years, particularly in the tropical western Pacific and Indian Oceans. The meat, which includes the body wall and longitudinal muscles, is highly prized in the markets of the far east and has developed fisheries along the Maine coast.The sea cucumber fishery and processing industry in Maine is a very recent development. It began in 1988 as a small operation in the eastern Maine community of Steuben for a period of five or six months.
Sea cucumbers are caught whole in fish totes and scallop drag gear. They are harvested on rocky bottoms in near shore waters of eastern Maine. Most of the harvesting is done in eastern Maine because at the present time, that is where the processors are located. In Maine, a common method of processing is to scrape off and wash the muscles, then vacuum pack and flash freeze the product for shipment to markets. Another type involves cutting the animal open and removing the viscera, while leaving the muscles attached. The cucumber is then dried in this form and shipped. It can also be re-hydrated and used as fresh.
To find out more about harvesting, visit http://www.maine.gov/dmr/cukes/