Sea cucumbers have traditionally been used for food, medicinal purposes, and more recently cosmetics (Mulcrone, ADW).  As a result, many species, including P. parvimensis have been subjected to overfishing.  Sea cucumber fisheries exploit over 50 different species of sea cucumber, mostly in the order Aspirochirodita (Toral-Granda & Lovatelli).  Most of fisheries ship their cucumbers to Asia, where demand is the highest.
      In California, commercial fisheries seek two species: Parastichopus parvimensis and Parastichopus californicus.  While fisheries require a permit to collect individuals, no restrictions exist on number of animals caught (Monterey Bay Aquarium).
Parastichopus parvimensis is considered has been an overfished species.  Off the coast of Baja California, populations declined to nearly one third its original size due to overfishing over the course of just 13 years (Chavez et al. 2011).