The sea cucumber industry entered its golden age after the SARS epidemic in 2003. Sea cucumber markets expanded rapidly, both in terms of production and sales. With the booming sea cucumber industry,
monopolies in sale systems developed in each city. However, 2012 was a bad year for the sea cucumber
aquaculture industry in China. Some sea cucumbers developed skin diseases, largely due to poor culture methods; as a result, prices plummeted. In 2013, sugared dried sea cucumber came out and created
a stir that inflenced the whole sea cucumber market. Regulations issued by the Chinese government
to promote frugality also exerted pressure on the sea cucumber market. All these circumstances created diffiult times for the sea cucumber industry as a whole,