Assessing the potential of the unexploited South African Cape sea urchin, Parechinus angulosus, as a new aquaculture species

Cloete, Aimee

Assessing the potential of the unexploited South African Cape sea urchin, Parechinus angulosus, as a new aquaculture species

Thesis / Dissertation

2025

Publisher

Universiy of Cape Town

Department

Department of Biological Sciences

Faculty

Faculty of Science

Abstract

Sea urchins are harvested for their gonads, otherwise known as “uni”, that have a high market value, particularly in Asian countries such as Japan and China. Over the last few decades, the market for ‘uni' has steadily expanded. Current and future demand for sea urchin products cannot be met by the sea urchin fishery alone, presenting a commercial opportunity for unexploited sea urchin species with marketable gonad products. A symbiotic relationship exists in nature between the Cape urchin Parechinus angulosus and the early developmental stages of South Africa's most lucrative aquaculture product, the South African abalone Haliotis midae. Previous work has shown that supplementing hatchery-produced juvenile abalone with Cape sea urchin faecal matter benefits juvenile abalone growth and enhances survival.

Keywords

South Africa

Cape sea urchin

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