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Sea Urchins are fascinating. The Purple Urchins have been destroying the kelp in California lately, and as this article stated, they can live for a long time a
by daveslash 3y ago
Sea Urchins are fascinating.
The Purple Urchins have been destroying the kelp in California lately, and as this article stated, they can live for a long time and go into a zombie like state. They also dig holes in the rock with their teeth that they live in. [0][1]. Some urchins (not most) are edible, but the ones usually eaten in restaurants are the Red Urchins, because they're typically larger. Personally, I find purple urchins are tastier and easier to find, but much harder to get uni out of due to their size (and zombie state). Green Urchins went through a fishing boom in the 1990s, but I don't know how common they're fished for food these days. I know it happens, but Red are the common ones. Edit: Data on Green Sea Urchin landings. [5]
But urchins are also a huge taxa, with tons of species - Subclass Euechinoidea [3]. I found a really interesting urchin last month while digging in the sand underneath a sand dollar bed. I dug it up and it literally ran/swam away! [4]
For the life of me, I can't figure out how these things are alive. I crack them open, and it looks like it's just gonads (uni) and brown slime. They mystify me as much as jellyfish!
As Surfline puts it, "The Kelp Needs Help" [2]
[0] https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/139958858 https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/139958858
[1] https://www.newscientist.com/article/2161771-sea-urchins-can-drill-holes-in-solid-rock-with-just-their-teeth/ https://www.newscientist.com/article/2161771-sea-urchins-can...
[2] https://www.surfline.com/surf-news/kelp-needs-help/159452 https://www.surfline.com/surf-news/kelp-needs-help/159452
[3] https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/475988-Euechinoidea https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/475988-Euechinoidea
[4] https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/178269901 https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/178269901
[5] https://www.maine.gov/dmr/sites/maine.gov.dmr/files/inline-files/AnnualLandingsValue.graph_.pdf https://www.maine.gov/dmr/sites/maine.gov.dmr/files/inline-f...
- bitxbitxbitcoin 3y agoHaving gone on several sea urchin foraging trips at the lowest tide each month I can say that the chances of finding an urchin with spent nads is higher in q1 and q2 due to their mating season. On the other hand, go to an underwater urchin barren and they’re likely all zombies.
- civilitty 3y agoWhat are your favorite places in San Diego to look around for sea life like urchins? Do you eat them out of mission bay?
- daveslash 3y agoTo look for life like urchins? Or urchins specifically to eat? Full Disclosure: I am not an expert on inter-tidal foraging. Here are my thoughts, but I do not know if they are correct. I have eaten purple urchins out of the Mission Bay channel, but I don't recommend it because they're just so small and, frankly, just not worth the effort. But I don't have any health concerns. I'm very reluctant to eat any bi-valve shellfish that I harvest myself for concerns over Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning (PSP). I'm sure it can be done safely, but I am not knowledgeable enough to have self-confidence. I don't like the idea of eating filter-feeders (i.e. oysters) out of Mission Bay because of what they might be accumulating. Eating a scallop out of Mission Bay seems okay because the only part you eat is the muscle, not the whole digestive tract - but I still have the PSP concerns. If I find a legal lobster when the season opens, I'll eat that our of Mission Bay. Just looking for life itself, just to see and photograph - my two go-to spots are Mission Point Park and La Jolla Shores between the Marine Room and the cove. Mission Point is nice -- the protected cove feels safe, but the channel side is pretty exciting too. My wife and I are beginning to branch out to other parts of the bay. If you'd like to chat more, DM me on iNaturalist. https://www.inaturalist.org/people/dolfindave https://www.inaturalist.org/people/dolfindave