Sea urchin

Sea urchin

Red sea urchin, © Amadeo Bachar

At a glance

	Eco-rating	Mercury	Omega-3s
+-Sea urchin (Canada)	Best	Unknown
MORE ABOUT SEA URCHIN Red sea urchins, one of the largest members of the urchin family, can grow up to 9.4 inches (24 cm) in diameter (including spines). They range in color from a bright red to a dark burgundy. Green sea urchins have spines that are shorter and thinner than those of the red sea urchin. Green sea urchin can grow to about 3 inches (80 mm), although they usually smaller. Commercial Sources Red sea urchins are found in the Pacific Ocean from Baja California to Alaska. Green sea urchins occur in both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, with their range extending into the Arctic. The main sources for sea urchins are British Columbia and New Brunswick in Canada and in the U.S., California and Maine. Most sea urchin roe is exported to Japan where it is used as an ingredient in sushi. Capture Methods Sea urchins come from marine fisheries, not fish farms. They are primarily caught by hand, with hand racks or lightweight draggers.
+-Sea urchin (CA)	OK	Unknown
MORE ABOUT SEA URCHIN Red sea urchins, one of the largest members of the urchin family, can grow up to 9.4 inches (24 cm) in diameter (including spines). They range in color from a bright red to a dark burgundy. Green sea urchins have spines that are shorter and thinner than those of the red sea urchin. Green sea urchin can grow to about 3 inches (80 mm), although they usually smaller. Commercial Sources Red sea urchins are found in the Pacific Ocean from Baja California to Alaska. Green sea urchins occur in both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, with their range extending into the Arctic. The main sources for sea urchins are British Columbia and New Brunswick in Canada and in the U.S., California and Maine. Most sea urchin roe is exported to Japan where it is used as an ingredient in sushi. Capture Methods Sea urchins come from marine fisheries, not fish farms. They are primarily caught by hand, with hand racks or lightweight draggers.
+-Sea urchin (ME)	Worst	Unknown
MORE ABOUT SEA URCHIN Red sea urchins, one of the largest members of the urchin family, can grow up to 9.4 inches (24 cm) in diameter (including spines). They range in color from a bright red to a dark burgundy. Green sea urchins have spines that are shorter and thinner than those of the red sea urchin. Green sea urchin can grow to about 3 inches (80 mm), although they usually smaller. Commercial Sources Red sea urchins are found in the Pacific Ocean from Baja California to Alaska. Green sea urchins occur in both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, with their range extending into the Arctic. The main sources for sea urchins are British Columbia and New Brunswick in Canada and in the U.S., California and Maine. Most sea urchin roe is exported to Japan where it is used as an ingredient in sushi. Capture Methods Sea urchins come from marine fisheries, not fish farms. They are primarily caught by hand, with hand racks or lightweight draggers.

Recommended servings per month

	Contaminant	Men	Women	Kids 6-12	Kids 0-5
Sea urchin (CA)	Unknown	4	4	4	4
Sea urchin (Canada)	Unknown	4	4	4	4
Sea urchin (ME)	Unknown	4	4	4	4

Eco details:

Sea urchins are primarily harvested for their roe (uni), which is bright orange. Most sea urchin roe is exported to Japan where it is used as an ingredient in sushi.