Looking every bit a strange creature from the deep, sea urchins are a seafood delicacy. But not only are they good for you and breeding in abundance, they’re playing a significant role in our underwater ecosystems.
There are 950 different species of sea urchin found in all parts of the world, of these about 18 are edible. In Australia there are three main sea urchin species harvested for eating; the purple or short-spined sea urchin (Heliocidaris erythrogramma), the long-spined sea urchin (Centrostephanus rodgersii) and the red sea urchin (H. tuberculata).
WHERE TO FIND THEM
The purple sea urchin is a native Australian species found in the coastal waters of southern Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania, South Australia and Western Australia. They are generally found in shallow waters up to 10 metres in depth, but can be found in water up to 35 metres deep.
The long-spined sea urchin, more commonly known as ‘Centro’, is the most prevalent on the southeastern parts of Australia, stretching from southern Queensland to the coastal waters of Tasmania. The red urchin is
