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Published (Version of record)CC BY V4.0, Open Access
Published (Version of record)CC BY V4.0, Open
Journal article
Barrens of gold: gonad conditioning of an overabundant sea urchin
Aquaculture Environment Interactions, Vol.10, pp.345-361
01/08/2018
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Abstract
Overgrazing by the overabundant native purple urchin Heliocidaris erythrogramma has caused kelp-dominated reefs to shift to urchin barrens throughout southeastern Australia. These areas are characterised by low kelp abundance, low biodiversity and high urchin densities. As purple urchin gonads are a delicacy in many countries, commercial harvest from barrens could aid kelp recovery. However, the lack of macroalgae in these habitats, driven by high urchin densities, results in urchins with small, poor-quality roe that is commercially undesirable. To overcome this, we assessed whether urchin gonad quantity and quality could be improved with access to high-quality feed and optimal environmental conditions, a process known as ‘gonad conditioning’. Specifically, we (1) surveyed the quality of urchins from barrens and kelp sites in Port Phillip Bay, Australia, over 18 mo and (2) tested if gonad conditioning was effective on urchins from barrens during and after the harvest season. Field surveys revealed considerable variation in gonad size across sites, habitats and collection periods (mean gonad index range: 3 to 12%). Gonad conditioning with the best diet increased urchin gonad size by up to 2.8 times during the harvest season. Moreover, gonads of conditioned urchins from one barren were 3 times brighter in colour and contained lower concentrations of arsenic than wild urchins. In contrast, gonad conditioning at 22°C after the harvest season was ineffective. Our results show that targeted in-season harvest from barrens and subsequent gonad conditioning produces roe of commercial quality, promoting the use of urchin fisheries as a tool for managing urchin barrens.
Details
- Title
- Barrens of gold: gonad conditioning of an overabundant sea urchin
- Creators
- Cassandra G Pert - University of MelbourneStephen E Swearer - University of MelbourneSymon Dworjanyn - Southern Cross UniversityNina Kriegisch - University of TasmaniaGiovanni M Turchini - Deakin UniversityDavid S Francis - Deakin UniversityTim Dempster - University of Melbourne
- Publication Details
- Aquaculture Environment Interactions, Vol.10, pp.345-361
- Publisher
- Inter-Research
- Grant note
- This study was partially funded by the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation (PRJ-010410). Support for the urchin GI surveys was provided by the Victorian Government’s Seagrass and Reefs program (to S.E.S.), a Holsworth Wildlife Research Endowment-Equity Trustees Charitable Foundation grant (to N.K.), the University of Tasmania and the Victorian Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning.
- Identifiers
- 991012927064102368
- Copyright
- © The authors 2018. Open Access under Creative Commons by Attribution Licence. Use, distribution and reproduction are unrestricted. Authors and original publication must be credited.
- Academic Unit
- National Marine Science Centre; Faculty of Science and Engineering; Science
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Journal article