Lacking natural predators and able to survive long after food sources are diminished, purple sea urchins are devastating kelp forests, an important carbon sink. The founders of a Newport startup have a plan to turn the tides for these spiky pests. Purple sea urchins are carpeting the ocean floor off the coast of Oregon — their round, spiky bodies clinging to rocks and reef. For sea urchin divers who harvest them as premium shellfish, most often served in sushi restaurants as uni, this could look like a fortune. But instead of dollar signs, divers see devastation. That’s because these particular urchins are practically empty, starved and worthless. They’re also wreaking havoc on the local ecosystem. How Do You Stop an Invasive Species? BY BRITANY ROBINSON Try Eating It. COURTESY OF AARON HUANG SHUTTERSTOCK 26
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