JAPAN UNI SUMMIT leading way for sea urchin conservation

In the sleepy coastal town of Yono, perched on the northernmost edge of Iwate Prefecture, a unique assembly took place on a midsummer Saturday in 2023. A consortium of minds from various sectors – fishing industry stakeholders, culinary pioneers, researchers, activists, and political figures – gathered under the umbrella of the “JAPAN UNI SUMMIT vol.0.” The mission: a discourse on the future of our world’s oceans, particularly the endangered state of sea urchins.

Sea urchins, a culinary delicacy and integral component of marine ecosystems, are under threat. An emerging phenomenon known as “isoyake,” or ocean desertification, is tearing through the oceans across the globe, leaving emaciated urchins in its wake. Attributable to the rise in seawater temperatures due to global warming, the isoyake effect has activated sea urchins to overeat their staple diet of seaweed, depleting their food source and causing a cascade of environmental implications.

Hosted by Kita-Sanriku Factory Corporation, a fishing company based in Yono Town, and the general incorporated association moova, the event focused on sparking collective action to address this ecological crisis. “Our predecessors built an ‘urchin farm’ system here in Yono, which enabled sustainable urchin production and contributed to the highest urchin haul in Honshu,” explained representatives of the Kita-Sanriku Factory and moova, Shimoazuma and Mashita. “We must honor that philosophy and take it further, developing a regenerative fishing industry that not only consumes but also contributes back to the Earth.”

The presenters underscored two promising initiatives: the “urchin regeneration aquaculture” and the “seaweed bed regeneration.” The former repurposes the thinning urchins, transforming them from waste into culinary delights, while the latter uses compost blocks made from urchin shells to rehabilitate the diminished seaweed beds.

These ventures, however, cannot exist in a vacuum. For lasting change, the attendees agreed on the need for a universal approach. The UNIversal Agenda emerged as a strategic framework to rally all stakeholders – from the fisheries to Michelin-starred restaurants – to drive substantial shifts in their operations and promote sustainability.

Hokkaido University’s Professor Ura, who is working on joint research with the Kita-Sanriku Factory, expounded on the causes and mechanisms of isoyake. This issue, it was pointed out, isn’t just a Japanese predicament – it’s a global crisis, as underlined by Tatsumi, who is undertaking marine environmental research in Australia.

The UNI SUMMIT emerged as an essential platform to transcend traditional barriers, foster collective awareness, and stimulate proactive discussions around the urgent need to safeguard our seas and sea urchins. The future, as the passionate participants concurred, requires coordinated action and a shift from consumption to conservation. For Yono, Japan, and the world, the time to act is now.