the sandfish has been eaten by man for over 1000 years. about twenty other species of sea cucumber are also consumed but the sandfish is the species most often used. in the 1990s it was being sold dried as beche-de-mer for up to us$100 per kilogram. harvesting sandfish from the sea is known as trepanging in indonesia. in many areas the fisheries have declined over the years because of over fishing, so ranching, aquaculture and hatchery rearing are being attempted.