Cultivation of sea urchins

1989/09/01 Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Dietetika/Elikagaiak

Sea urchins are not a precious meal among us, at least popular. But it is much appreciated in France.

For two years small sea urchins acquire a commercial size.

Overexploitation, pollution and bacterial disease have crumbled the production of sea urchins on the French coast, while consumer demand has increased.

The French begin to grow sea urchins to combat the problem. The first investigations began in 1982 in Luc-sur-Mer. The first industrial pilot study was conducted in 1985 and commercial production began this year in the town of Grouville-sur-Mer.

The cultivation of sea urchin requires two phases. The first, which takes 3 and a half months, part of the egg, passes the larval phase and is completed with small sea urchins of 3 mm. In the second phase of thickening, the hedgehog has a commercial size (40 mm). This phase takes two years in the nursery and 5-7 in nature.

These two steps are made in boxes located at 15-25C.