Wild foods — Sea Urchin
Sea urchins are a species in the Echinodermata family. This contains other species like starfish. While I am unsure if starfish are edible, sea urchins most definitely are. Yummy with a satisfying umami taste and a texture like soft roe, sea urchins are unlike any other food I have tasted so far!
They are quite expensive and I always imagined that must be because they must be only be caught by diving into sea. I was surprised to learn that they are easier to access than I imagined! Scroll down to learn how you can forage for them as well!
Is foraging sea urchins ethical?
The species of sea urchins found near the San Francisco Bay Area coast are the Pacific Purple Sea Urchins. Due to multiple factors including climate change, human hunting, these sea urchin species have been growing unchecked in the region and are considered an invasive species. They feed aggressively on sea kelp (plants growing on ocean floor) and are a factor contributing to kelp deforestation. And can you believe that you are doing the biodiversity a favor by foraging for these tasty treats?!
Where can I find them?
In the San Francisco Bay Area, you are allowed to forage for these species at Pillar Point in Half Moon Bay. Be careful not to forage in the protected regions, but the place where we went is at the red pin on the map below.
Usually, they are found to be snugly hiding in rock crevasses and can be hard to pluck out by bare hands.
Keep in mind that parking can get quite tight around these times because everyone knows the perfect time to be there!
Sea urchins grow on the ocean floor. So, in order to avoid having to dive underwater, you can wait for the low tide and let the ocean floor be exposed to pick them off from the tidepools. Look at the low tide time and arrive there for foraging!
Do I need any gear?
I recommend some equipment to have a nice experience foraging! (Although, to be honest, I just showed up completely unprepared my first time foraging for urchins)
- Clothing Layers (it can get quite cold and windy)
- Rubber boots (to keep your real boots from getting wet)
- Gloves to avoid being poked by the spikes.
- Pliers, spoon, or something sharp to pluck urchins out.
- Bucket — Fill this with water from the sea and drop your finds into this bucket. Carry this bucket with you to the tidepools.
- A cooler with ice in your car to keep the sea urchins fresh while you travel back home. Keep the cooler in your car trunk and transfer the urchins from the bucket into the cooler.
- Flashlight — Low tide can be in the dark hours and a flashlight can be useful.
- (Optional) UV light — There can be beautiful fluorescent species waiting to be discovered in the tidepools! (See pictures below)
What else can I do in the tidepools?
The tidepools are a magical place and I have seen people forage for clams and snails too! In addition to foraging, you can also observe a ton of bizarre and beautiful creatures like starfish, anemones (fluorescent and regular), sea slugs and much more! If you do manage to take some cool shots, do not forget to upload to iNaturalist app to catalog the species found near you. Below are some of my shots from the tidepools!
About me
My name is Sekhar Chebiyyam and I love exploring the nature, mountains, and learning new skills. I talk about everything ranging from wellness, travel, food, mindset, nature, spirituality and more! Additionally, I am also a certified breath-work and ice bath (Wim Hof method) coach and you can find all about my coaching on my Instagram page.
