The sea urchin aquaculture method is the result of more than 7 years of R&D in partnership with a team of researchers at Hokkaido University.
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A new Japanese partnership has launched a 920 million yen (USD 6.2m) to develop a full-scale pilot land-based sea urchin aquaculture project in Hirono, Iwate Prefecture.
The initiative, a collaboration between Yanmar Holdings and Kita-Sanriku Factory, began in April, supported by Japan’s Small Business Innovation and Research (SBIR) program under the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, and is scheduled for completion in autumn 2025.
The facility will feature the UNI-VERSE systems® developed by Kita-Sanriku Factory, which enable scalable, short-term cultivation of high-quality sea urchins for both domestic and international markets, the partners said in a press announcement.
The project aims to tackle ocean desertification, referred to as Isoyake in Japanese, a widespread problem in Japan's coastal waters caused in part by overgrazing of seaweed by sea urchins.
The new regenerative aquaculture system aims to rehabilitate undernourished sea urchins, which are typically considered commercially unviable, by improving their size, colour, and taste through a brief feeding period. According to the project partners, this not only restores commercial value but also enables year-round distribution, including during off-season months.
Method based on R&D partnership with Hokkaido University
The aquaculture method is the result of more than seven years of research and development in partnership with a team of reserachers at Hokkaido University. Key components of the system, including the “Hagukumutane®” feed and tank designs, are patented by Kita-Sanriku Factory.
Yanmar will contribute its technological expertise in land-based aquaculture to the initiative, incorporating advanced fluid analysis and automated cleaning technologies to help optimize environmental conditions and production efficiency.
With international demand for premium Japanese sea urchins on the rise, the companies plan to export to markets in the EU, U.S., Dubai, and Thailand, and is participating in global seafood trade fairs throughout 2025 to expand its distribution network.
