Overfished 25 years ago, Maine sea urchins eyed as aquaculture candidate

Courtesy / Chris Davis, Maine Sea Grant Efforts are underway to farm sea urchins, a valuable species that was overfished in the 1990s.

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By Staff

With a $100,000 federal grant, an effort is underway to boost Maine's farming of sea urchins, a commercially valuable species much in demand in Asian markets.

A team of researchers, aquaculture production specialists and educators in Maine, Rhode Island and New Hampshire will be working to transform the sea urchin fishery by supporting green sea urchin aquaculture efforts, according to a news release.

Maine’s sea urchins are spiky creatures valued for their tasty roe, called “uni.” High-quality uni has a sweet, ocean-like taste and a smooth, buttery texture. The roe is served fresh and uncooked.

The team includes Steve Eddy and Luz Kogson at the University of Maine, Dana Morse with Maine Sea Grant, project lead Coleen Suckling at the University of Rhode Island and Larry Harris at the University of New Hampshire. They received the grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Northeast Regional Aquaculture Center to improve hatchery production of the green sea urchin and interest prospective urchin farmers in growth potential for the Gulf of Maine and coastal northern New England.

“There is a strong international demand for sea urchins, mostly driven by the Asian market, yet this demand is poorly met by North American suppliers, largely due to declining natural stocks and increased stock regulation,” said Suckling.

Maine’s sea urchin fishery, which was primarily wild harvest, was worth $35.6 million with 34 million pounds landed in 1995, according to Maine’s Department of Marine Resources.

Then the stocks collapsed, and the wild harvest fishery never fully recovered. Over the past five years, the stocks have been fairly stable, said Eddy, director of UMaine’s Center for Cooperative Aquaculture Research. In 2019, the fishery was worth $5.8 million, and 1.7 million pounds were landed.

“There is substantial potential for aquaculture growth of urchins, and interest to grow sea urchins in New England is expanding, which our new project will help support by providing seed and technical advice at no cost,” said Suckling.

Recent advances in technology, techniques and feeds at urchin farms around the world will enable the team to study how to adapt the advances to local hatchery and nursery culture.

“Urchin farming has generated a lot of interest in Maine, but nobody’s really nailed it down yet to where urchins are a profitable crop to grow,” said Morse, a Maine Sea Grant marine extension associate based at the Darling Marine Center.

“To allow us to take advantage of the creativity and ingenuity that prospective growers have — our best chance for developing economically viable systems — they need access to seed stock, and that's where we are starting.”

The team also will communicate with regulatory agencies and prospective producers in the Northeast and share information about developments in the availability of urchin seed stock. In addition, trials at Maine aquaculture sites will be conducted to track growth and survival, assess different feeds and understand husbandry considerations.

“We think Maine is the perfect place to grow sea urchins and we're hoping some of our neighbor states to the south will give it a try as well,” said Eddy. “This project should help us produce more urchin seed than ever before and help us encourage new sea urchin farmers to try it. We already have several growers we are working with, and we’re looking to sign up more.”

He added, “We believe sea urchins are a natural fit with kelp aquaculture and oyster farms.”

Aquaculturists interested in learning more should contact Suckling, coleensuckling@uri.edu, or Luz Kogson, luz.kogson@maine.edu to receive project updates and be added to the list of those seeking urchin seed.