Uni

Sea Urchin

Source: Wild
Mercury Risk: Low

The difference between a delicacy and mere food is more than taste or texture; it includes the odd and sometimes baffling source of the dish. In no case is this truer than with the humble sea urchin. A homely little cluster of spines, this ornery creature is dreaded by waders and barefoot beachcombers alike. But the gonads of the sea urchin, slurped down with rice and maybe a bit of nihonshu, are one of the most sensual of sushi delights: uni.

It has become commonplace for sushi devotees to round out their meals with the tonguelike sexual organs of these spiky animals, and uni is a common favorite in both Japanese and U.S. sushi establishments. This popularity makes it all the more important to differentiate between the many different uni fisheries in the world. While some deserve our support, others should be avoided at all costs.

In the United States we generally consume red and green sea urchins, both of which are members of the Strongylocentrotus genus. Green sea urchins (S. droebachiensis), found on both the Atlantic and Pacific coasts, show a preference for colder climes—Washington State to Alaska in the west, New Jersey to the Arctic Ocean in the east. Red sea urchins (S. franciscanus), which can range from the color of old brick to a deep majestic purple, are found only in the Pacific. Their populations stretch from Baja California to Alaska. Most of our red and green uni is either domestic product or imported from Canada, but we also import uni from Japan. Almost all fisheries hand-gather urchins using divers, so bycatch (unintended species and juveniles that are caught and discarded) is very low.

The main issues facing uni fisheries are relatively simple—how many sea urchins are left, and are there rules in place to protect them?

Red and green sea urchins from British Columbia are a good way to satisfy your uni craving. Strong populations of both species are overseen by proactive management and are protected by stiff quotas.

Green sea urchins from New Brunswick are also a positive choice. Populations appear relatively healthy, and management is in place to keep them that way.

Red sea urchins from California are a less defensible choice. The management regime, which does not use quotas and has no effective enforcement measures, has not been able to prevent significant declines in populations.

Uni from Japan is still very much an open question. Little is known about the status of Japanese sea urchin stocks, and at this point it’s probably better to pass on Japanese sea urchin in favor of Canadian.

Green sea urchins from Maine must be avoided. Stock strengths are at approximately ten percent of what they once were and are continuing to decline. We must ease the pressure on this fishery to allow populations to recover.