Co-Culture of Green Sea Urchins and American Oysters

Commodities

• Animals: shellfish, other

Practices

• Animal Production: aquaculture
• Education and Training: on-farm/ranch research

I would be investigating the success of rearing American oysters
and green sea urchins. Farming multiple species together with
complementary ecological requirements is interesting both for its
role in producing secondary products for market and creating more
resilient multi-species farms but also for the potential of
biofouling mitigation on shellfish grow out gear. I am uniquely
situated to investigate the question of oyster/urchin co-culture
success because I have been growing oysters since 2016 and
regularly observe wild urchin populations on my offshore island
site. Initial feasibility trials in farming green sea urchins
on-site with guidance from Dr. Coleen Suckling from the Center
for Cooperative Aquaculture Research proved successful. This
project could be a powerful example for shellfish growers to
increase farming efficiency, exploring the benefits of a
symbiotic multi-species farm, as well as create a secondary
market for oyster farmers interested in urchin culture.

The objective of the project is to measure the success of rearing
oysters and urchins together -- will farming urchins and oysters
together result in better survivorship within either or both
species? Are they particularly effected by environmental
fluctuations in temperature or salinity? Which type of grow out
gear, bottom or surface, is most user-friendly for the farmer to
grow urchins and oysters together? Does either type of grow out
equipment result in better survival and/or growth? Are urchins
able to reduce biofouling on either type of grow out gear or on
oyster shells and if so, is there a noticeable effect on oyster
growth or measurable reduction in farming effort? Another key
part of the study is to see if urchins and oysters can survive
the annual overwintering/hibernation process that begins for
oysters in November and ends in April.