Maine’s wild sea urchin fishery has been in decline for years and there is growing interest among industry to create opportunities for a farmed sea urchin product to offset wild harvest losses. In response to this Japan Fishing Machine has teamed up with Coastal Enterprises Inc., Maine Sea Grant, UMaine Center for Cooperative Aquaculture Research and the University of Rhode Island to explore farming sea urchins.
This session will provide an overview of a planned "technology transfer” trip to visit Hokkaido, Japan with a specific focus on sea urchins. With funding to Maine Sea Grant from NOAA Fisheries, a group of 12 delegates plan to spend a week in Hokkaido Prefecture in late March of 2026. The group plans to fully immerse in a local culture and meet with chefs, fishermen, growers, processors, retailers, restaurateurs, equipment manufacturers, government officials and scientists.
Throughout the week we will visit hatchery facilities, observe wild harvest and farm culture activities, vessels, equipment, kelp feed, handling practices, processing, packaging, roe quality, live auction and live sale as well as transport and end user market opportunities.
The group will identify opportunities and best practices that can be “brought back home” to implement the support and growth of green sea urchin hatchery production, cage culture and grow out techniques, the use of farmed kelp as feed, vessel set up, managing biofouling, stocking densities, harvest practices, roe quality, culinary uses and access to markets. Audience members will have a chance to suggest other topics of importance to learn about.