Collector Urchin

Range: Indo-Pacific region, from the Red Sea to the Hawaiian Islands

Traditionally, the collector urchin is mainly known for it's bad elelo in Hawai‘i, making it unappealing for harvesting. Today however, this urchin is a hot topic of conversation in research and conservation spaces in Hawai‘i. Collector urchins are being specially bred in local research facilities and hatcheries to be released in Kāne‘ohe Bay in an effort to remove invasive algaes that are smothering precious corals (How Tiny Sea Urchins Are Saving Kāne‘ohe Bay). This important conservation effort is made possible through partnerships between NOAA, USFWS, the State of Hawai‘i, and the University of Hawai‘i.