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Urchinomics Global Kelp Forest Restoration Sea Urchin Ranching Alliance
Lead Organizations
- Urchinomics Inc.
Project Description
Climate change and overfishing of predatory species from the world's oceans have allowed sea urchins to explode in population and overgraze kelp forests, turning the once highly productive ecosystems into desert-like barrens. Without intervention, urchins will occupy the space where kelp forests stood and keep them barren for decades or even centuries. Urchinomics is a for-profit, self-sustaining solution to ignite the ecosystem restoration effort. In partnership with divers and scientists, Urchinomics helps restore kelp forests by removing overgrazing urchins from urchin barrens, ranching them in proprietary aquaculture systems, and converting them into premium seafood to sell to consumers globally.