Coastal communities in Southeast Asia have a long history of fishing for sea cucumbers. This study describes the sea cucumber fishery in Semporna, Sabah, Malaysia and examines the size and sustainability of the fishery. Information on fishing methods, time of fishing, species and amount caught, earnings derived from the fishery, and downstream activities were documented. Information was gathered through 1) interviews using a structured questionnaire, 2) informal observations in the fishing villages visited, and 3) conversations with fishers. In total, 51 fishers were interviewed. Fishers who collect sea cucumbers in Semporna belong to either the Bajau Tempatan or Bajau Laut communities. Most of the fishers are men who mainly fish at night either alone, with friends or with family members (usually their sons). A small number of fishers in Denawan and Nusa Tengah fish with their wives and daughters. In areas where
sea cucumbers are still found on shallow reef flats (e.g. Nusa Tengah), women and children frequently glean for sea cucumbers during low tide.