If you have searched for sea cucumber suppliers online, you have likely encountered multiple names for what appears to be the same product: sea cucumber, trepang, beche-de-mer, hai-som, namako. For international buyers — particularly those sourcing across different geographic markets — this terminology confusion creates real friction in procurement, specification writing, and regulatory documentation.
This guide clarifies every major term used in global sea cucumber trade, explains where each term is used and why, and shows buyers how to use the right language when sourcing from Indonesian suppliers.
They Are All the Same Animal — But Not Always the Same Product
The first thing to understand: sea cucumber, trepang, and beche-de-mer all refer to marine animals belonging to the class Holothuroidea. Sea cucumbers are benthic echinoderms consumed as seafood in fresh or dried form in various Asian and Oceanian cuisines. The animal is the same regardless of what it is called.
However, the terms are not always interchangeable in a trade context, because some refer specifically to the live or fresh animal, while others refer exclusively to the processed, dried product ready for export. Understanding this distinction is essential when writing purchase specifications or reviewing supplier quotations.
Term by Term: What Each Name Means and Where It Is Used
Sea Cucumber
The standard scientific and English-language commercial term for the animal and its derivatives. Used universally in regulatory documentation, CITES permits, customs declarations, and English-language contracts. When sourcing from Indonesian suppliers for markets in Europe, North America, the Middle East, or Oceania, "sea cucumber" is the correct default term for written specifications and purchase orders.
In international trade databases and HS code classifications (HS 030819), sea cucumber is the primary descriptor used.
Trepang
Trepang — also spelled tripang — is the Indonesian term for sea cucumber. It is the dominant term used throughout the Indonesian and broader Southeast Asian trade community, including among traders in Malaysia, Singapore, and the southern Philippines. Historically, trepang trade was a specialized business almost completely in the hands of Makassarese, Bugis, and Bajau traders — maritime communities from the Indonesian archipelago who established trepang trade routes extending as far as northern Australia from as early as the 17th century.
For buyers communicating directly with Indonesian suppliers, processors, and exporters, using the term "trepang" signals familiarity with the industry and can facilitate clearer communication. In price lists, supplier catalogs, and Indonesian export documentation, trepang is the term you will most commonly encounter.
Beche-de-Mer (Bêche-de-Mer)
Beche-de-mer — also known as trepang in Indonesian, hai-som in Chinese, and iriko in Japanese — is essentially the body wall of sea cucumbers with the viscera removed, then cleaned, cooked, and dried. This is a critical distinction: beche-de-mer technically refers to the processed product, not the live animal.
Bêche-de-mer is boiled, dried, and smoked flesh of sea cucumbers used to make soups, consumed chiefly in China. The term originates from French and is derived from the Portuguese bicho do mar, meaning "sea animal." It is the dominant term in Pacific Island trade documentation, academic research, FAO fisheries reports, and among buyers sourcing from the Pacific region.
For buyers importing dried sea cucumber for food service or retail use, you may encounter beche-de-mer in supplier quotes from Fiji, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, and other Pacific suppliers. Indonesian suppliers may use either trepang or beche-de-mer depending on their target market.
Hai-Som (海参, Hǎishēn)
The Mandarin Chinese term for sea cucumber. This is the dominant term used across mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and among ethnic Chinese buyers throughout Southeast Asia. In Chinese wholesale markets — including the major hub markets of Hong Kong and Singapore — product is traded, graded, and priced under this terminology.
Buyers sourcing for resale into Chinese-speaking markets should be aware that Chinese buyers and distributors will use hai-som or hǎishēn in all commercial communications. Understanding this term is essential when reviewing Chinese import requirements or working with Hong Kong-based trading intermediaries.
Namako and Iriko (海鼠 / 煎海鼠)
Both terms are Japanese and refer to the same animal at different stages of processing. Namako refers to fresh or live sea cucumber, consumed raw as a sashimi-style appetizer in Japan's domestic food market — particularly as a winter delicacy. Iriko, on the other hand, refers specifically to dried, processed sea cucumber, and is the term used in B2B trade, import documentation, and communications with Japanese wholesalers or food manufacturers. For international buyers supplying the Japanese market with dried product, iriko is the correct term to use in purchase specifications and commercial correspondence. Namako is not relevant in a dried seafood export context.
Gamat
The Malay term for sea cucumber, used primarily in Malaysia and among Malay-speaking communities in Indonesia and Brunei. In Malaysia, gamat carries additional cultural significance as a traditional medicinal ingredient, particularly in post-natal care. Buyers sourcing for the Malaysian health supplement or traditional medicine market may encounter this term in product labeling requirements.
Teripang
A variant spelling of trepang used in formal Indonesian and some Malaysian trade contexts. You will encounter this in Indonesian government export statistics, KKP (Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries) documentation, and formal regulatory filings. When reviewing Indonesian export certificates or fisheries permits, teripang is the spelling to expect.
Why Terminology Matters for Purchase Specifications
For international buyers writing purchase specifications — whether for food manufacturing, pharmaceutical sourcing, or wholesale distribution — using the correct terminology in the right context prevents costly misunderstandings.
A purchase order that specifies "dried sea cucumber, Holothuria scabra, Grade A, 20-30 pieces per kg" is unambiguous in any market. A purchase order that simply says "trepang" without species and grade specification could result in receiving any number of species at any quality level, as the term covers dozens of commercially traded varieties.
Best practice for B2B purchase specifications: always use the scientific species name alongside the common trade term. This eliminates ambiguity regardless of which regional terminology your supplier uses.
Terminology in Regulatory and Customs Documentation
Different terms appear in different regulatory contexts, and using the wrong one can cause delays at customs.
For Indonesian export permits and CITES documentation, the official Indonesian government term is "teripang" alongside the scientific species name. For customs declarations in most destination countries, "sea cucumber" with the HS code 030819 is the standard. For CITES permits specifically, the scientific name is always required regardless of common name used elsewhere in documentation.
Experienced Indonesian exporters will ensure that all documentation uses terminology consistent with both Indonesian regulatory requirements and destination country customs expectations. This is one area where working with a supplier who has a long track record of export compliance — rather than a newer operator — directly reduces the risk of shipment delays.
Quick Reference: Sea Cucumber Terminology by Market
For buyers operating across multiple markets, understanding which term applies where prevents miscommunication with suppliers, customs authorities, and downstream buyers.
In international English-language contracts, CITES documentation, and customs declarations, "sea cucumber" paired with the scientific species name is the universal standard. In Indonesia and across the broader Southeast Asian trade network, trepang and its formal variant teripang are the terms you will encounter in supplier price lists, export permits, and KKP regulatory filings. Beche-de-mer is the dominant term in Pacific Island trade documentation, FAO fisheries research, and academic literature — buyers sourcing from Fiji, Papua New Guinea, or the Solomon Islands will encounter this term frequently.
For buyers supplying Chinese-speaking markets — mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, or Chinese diaspora communities throughout Southeast Asia — hǎishēn or hai-som is the term used at every level of the supply chain from wholesale to retail. Japanese importers and food manufacturers working with dried product use iriko, while namako refers specifically to fresh sea cucumber consumed domestically in Japan and is not relevant to dried product trade. Finally, gamat is the Malay term used in Malaysia, particularly in the traditional medicine and health supplement sector where sea cucumber carries strong cultural significance.
The practical implication for buyers is straightforward: always anchor your purchase specifications to the scientific species name regardless of which regional common name you use. A specification that reads "dried Holothuria scabra, Grade A, 20–30 pieces per kilogram" is unambiguous in every market — the common name can vary, but the species and grade cannot.
Sourcing from Indonesia: Which Terms to Use
When initiating contact with an Indonesian sea cucumber supplier, using "trepang" or "teripang" alongside the scientific species name will be immediately understood. For formal purchase orders and contracts, defaulting to "dried sea cucumber" with scientific species name and grade specification is the most legally robust approach.
Sepanjang operates across all major destination markets for Indonesian sea cucumber — from Malaysia and Hong Kong to Middle Eastern and Western buyers — and is accustomed to communicating in the terminology of each market. Our team can assist buyers in structuring specifications that translate cleanly across Indonesian export documentation, CITES permits, and destination country import requirements.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Sepanjang — Indonesia's Specialty Ocean Products Co. Sourcing high-quality sea cucumber directly from Indonesian waters for over 20 years. Contact our team to discuss your sourcing requirements.