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Urchinomics
Lauvsnesvegen 3, 4160 Finnøy, Norway; IJmuiden, North Holland, Netherlands; 1100-1959 Upper Water Street, Halifax, NS, B3J-3N2, Canada; Koto-ku Kiba 2-13-6, Tokyo 135-0042, Japan
Region Active
International
Seafood producer
Activity
Marine vegetation, Kelp forests, Sea urchins, Aquaculture, Climate change, Sustainable seafood
Description
Global kelp restoration through restorative sea urchin aquaculture. Urchinomics is a sustainable sea urchin harvesting venture that aims to turn an environmental challenge into a commercial, ecological and social opportunity. Overfishing of predatory species, climate change and pollution has allowed sea urchins to explode in population. Uncontrolled quantities of sea urchins overgraze kelp forests and seagrass meadows, turning once pristine and vibrant marine ecosystems into lifeless, barren deserts, or "Urchin barrens". Urchinomics specifically targets these ecologically destructive urchins and turns them into luxury gourmet seafood product, thereby helping kelp forests recover to their original healthy ecosystem, in the process encouraging fish and marine biodiversity, sequestration of CO2 and creating meaningful full-time jobs in rural communities.