Supporting California's kelp forests? Consume sea urchins for a positive impact.

Mendocino Coast Purple Urchin Festival Highlights Local Conservation Efforts

The Mendocino Coast Purple Urchin Festival, held in June 2021, brought together community members, scientists, and local businesses to address the growing issue of purple sea urchin populations in California's kelp forests.

The festival, which included cooking demonstrations, educational events, and urchin-focused restaurant specials, aimed to raise awareness about the impact of these marine creatures on the local ecosystem. Executive chef Matthew Kammerer at the Harbor House Inn in Elk, California, serves purple sea urchins in various dishes, such as chawanmushi, porridge made of local grains, and dashi sauce. Chefs at Little River Inn and Izakaya Gama have also joined the culinary effort to use purple sea urchins in their dishes.

Diners at the Harbor House Inn have been positive about eating purple sea urchins, which is part of a local conservation effort. Locals hope that seeing sea urchins on menus more often will help break down the barrier to eating them, which can seem intimidating.

In recent years, scientists have found 60 times more kelp-munching purple sea urchins than normal, contributing to the destruction of kelp forests in the region. Sea stars, which usually keep urchin populations in check, have been decimated due to sea star wasting syndrome. The degradation of Mendocino County's coastal ecosystem has been attributed to marine heatwaves, climate change, and El Niño.

An interactive component at the Noyo Center for Marine Science will teach kids how to build a coastal ecosystem model using magnets. Sheila Semans, executive director of the Noyo Center for Marine Science, aims to get everyone in town to try purple sea urchins for the environment. Scientists are encouraging travelers to learn about the coastal environment, volunteer with local beach cleanup efforts, and dine on sea urchins wherever they're available.

A partnership involving California government entities, communities, and nonprofit organizations has collected nearly 50,000 pounds of purple urchins for restoration efforts. The Nature Conservancy, UCLA, UC Santa Barbara, and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution have partnered to make kelp data available to scientists and volunteers through Kelpwatch, which has been tracking changes in the kelp canopy along California's coast since 1984.

The ocean is not close to being back to a completely healthy and restored ecosystem. Between 2014 and 2019, about 95 percent of the area's bull kelp vanished. Cally Dym, owner of Little River Inn, hopes the festival raises awareness about the issues beneath the waves. A documentary titled "Sequoias of the Sea" was previewed at the festival, telling the story of California's kelp forests.

The Harbor House Inn's restaurant serves locally harvested seafood, and dining on purple sea urchins at the Inn is part of a larger effort to support local conservation initiatives and promote sustainable seafood consumption. The festival is a testament to the community's commitment to preserving the coastal ecosystem and fostering a culture of environmental stewardship.

Supporting California's kelp forests? Consume sea urchins for a positive impact.