Uni (sea urchin roe) is one of the most prized delicacies in Japanese cuisine, yet global supply has been in steady decline for decades. US domestic production peaked in the 1990s and has fallen consistently, while demand from sushi restaurants and fine-dining establishments continues to grow.

Purple sea urchins — the same species devastating California’s kelp forests — produce roe with a sweet, nutty flavor profile comparable to the highly sought-after Japanese domestic species. Wild Blue Aquaculture is setting up an urchin ranching operation in Noyo Harbor to help remove the overabundance of purple urchin. Divers will harvest urchin from urchin-barrens, fatten them up in a land-based Recirculating Aquaculture System to create a market-rate product and sell consistent Grade-A uni.