This paper reveals how the socioeconomic and management objectives of a three-year sea cucumber project in the western Indian Ocean (WIO) (cf. Conand et al. 2006) will be addressed. A conceptual model of sea cucumber resource dynamics is presented. This model encompasses multiple levels and considers the main structures of the sea cucumber fishery such as fishing and collection grounds, resource users and other stakeholders involved in the fishery (e.g. fishers, middlemen and importers), the links between stakeholders, villages and countries, and the associated management initiatives at different levels. This framework is promising when analyzing the sea cucumber fishery from a holistic perspective, considering both social and ecological interactions. The results of the study will provide knowledge and management advice for the sustainability of the sea cucumber fishery in the WIO; however, the framework is not restricted to the WIO, and may be adapted to other fisheries.