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Eating Our Way to a Lower Carbon Footprint

Gradient Ocean

Terry Cullen

Mar 15, 2022

Japan

Categories:

Oceans, Food, Sustainability, Marine Life, Economics

Sounds unlikely, but then again, some of the most resourceful solutions come from the most unlikely sources. First, let's do a quick dive into the Blue Economy. Ever heard of it? Well, you will now and much more in the future.

According to the World Bank, the Blue Economy "is the sustainable use of ocean resources for economic growth, improved livelihoods and jobs, and ocean ecosystem health. The Blue Economy encompasses many activities: fisheries, maritime transport, tourism, climate change, waste management, and renewable energy." The term shows up worldwide as governments, from national to local, and collective mindsets change from exploiting the oceans' resources to managing and supporting them.

One organization, Urchinomics, has an exciting approach and role in the global blue economy. Their mission, "Restoring Ocean Habitats, To Feed the World," is beautifully articulated. Their purpose is straightforward:

"Remove overgrazing sea urchins which helps turn a barren seafloor back into a vibrant kelp forest."

"Deliver premium ranched sea urchins (uni)
to restaurants globally.

"Restore oceans into vibrant ecosystems for the benefit of communities around the world.

Urchinomics founder and CEO Brian Tsuyoshi Takeda is passionate about the oceans, their vastness, and beauty. He compares the bull kelp forests of the seas to the forests on land. Takeda believes good incentives can propel the market to respond in ways that promote conservation, preservation, and rehabilitation. This thinking likely was the genesis for the name, Urchinomics, a seeming combination of 'urchin' and 'economics.'

A little backstory on urchins. Global warming and the increasing acidification of the oceans have allowed the sea urchin to grow its populations exponentially. This explosive growth has devastated bull kelp forests worldwide, and the domino effect has affected hundreds of marine species. The healthy population of over 800 marine species is linked to the health of the ocean's bull kelp forest.

An example of a community affected by this quick and dramatic change in the marine environment is Fort Bragg, California, USA. Like other California coastal communities, climate change has impacted Fort Bragg. It is estimated that 95% of the bull kelp forest has disappeared from the Fort Bragg coastal area because of a particular urchin, the Pacific Purple sea urchin. A wasting disease devastated the Sunflower Starfish (a significant predator for the purple urchin) starting in 2014, and the purple urchin population exploded. Purple urchins eat kelp, which has sped up the loss of kelp forest. The decline in the diversity and number of marine species is startling.

Interestingly, the purple urchin is edible, but they don't get large enough in the surrounding marine environment to make it worthwhile to commercially harvest. The Noyo Center and Urchinomics have teamed up with a novel approach to slowing the spread of the purple urchin. They harvest the small urchins and then 'fatten them up' in tanks and then sell them commercially for consumption. It takes about 8 weeks to get an urchin large enough. Suppose the bull kelp can get a break from the urchins and make a recovery. In that case, it will bring back the fish and other species that long supported the local economy.

This is one example of the partnerships Urchinomics is developing globally. Urchinomics is based in Tokyo, Japan, with offices in Canada, Norway, and the Netherlands. The company sees real value in providing sea urchins, a high protein food source, to an ever-growing world population. The business model is carbon neutral because it helps regenerate bull kelp forests, a significant carbon sink. It is estimated that the world's bull kelp forests sequester 200 million tonnes of carbon each year. Imagine that; that is truly exciting. It is a positive triple bottom line return, a win-win-win economically, socially, and environmentally.

Urchin (uni in Japanese) is often served as an appetizer, and its flavor has been described as sweet and buttery. It is mainly eaten raw as sushi but is now found in fine restaurants paired with pasta and sometimes a sandwich.

The next time you are out for dinner and sea urchin is on the menu, think about the role you can play in lowering your carbon footprint. Bon appetit!

To learn more about Urchinomics and its work, please visit the website below.

Source:

Source:

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Catalog #:

0322.100.01.031522

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