Beche-de-mer or sea cucumber is considered a delicacy in China and top varieties can sell for more than $US2, 000 dollars a kilo.
Fiji's new minister of Fisheries Semi Koroilavesau said he had already banned the use of scuba-diving gear for harvesting beche-de-mer but it had done little to slow exports.
"So what we are going to do now is what we call seasonal ban. So there has to be a period of ban where we will carry out another survey and see the population of this stock and review our decision from there."
