There are 8 - 10 common species of sea cucumbers on this coast, at least one of which, Apostichopus californicus, is harvested commercially.

NOTE in many European countries sea cucumbers are named after the vegetable, for example: sea cucumber, concombre de mer, Seegurke, cucumeri di mare (the last of which actually means “melon of the sea”).  This may stem from the time of Roman occupation, as they apparently brought cucumbers (the vegetable) to countries of Western Europe.  Other names for sea cucumbers are trepang in Malaysia and bêche de mer in former French colonies in the Pacific.  Body walls of sea cucumbers are common ingredients in various South-East Asian cuisines, notably soups and stir-fries.  In areas of the South Pacific, the visceral masses are eaten raw, or after cooking or being pickled in lime juice.  In Japan, a tasty fermented dish is made from the guts of Stichopus japonicus, following preparation of the body walls for drying and marketing as food.