FOOD • RESTORATION • ACTION

eat an urchin

Turning an ecological challenge into an opportunity — one plate at a time.

FIND URCHIN ↓
EXPLORE RECIPES ↓

why it matters

From reef pressure to practical action

Warming oceans have enabled urchins to wreak havoc across 2,000 km of Australia's coastline - an area as big as the Great Barrier Reef.

We’ve created a curated online hub connecting chefs, suppliers, and consumers to make enjoying urchin both accessible and inspiring.

Eating an urchin is one way we can directly help – and a bonus is they are delicious!

Know before you eat

urchin Seasonality

Across New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania, longspined sea urchins are present year-round, but their biological and commercial seasonality is driven by gonad (roe) development and spawning cycles, which are strongly influenced by water temperature and latitude.

For longspined urchin, peak condition occurs through late summer to mid-winter, with reliable roe quality across this period. Shortspined urchins peak from late winter through spring into early summer.

Field Guide

collecting longspined sea urchins

Target Species for Collection: Longspined Sea Urchin Centrostephanus rodgersii

Appearance: Dark purple to black body with exceptionally long, slender spines that can reach up to 30 cm in length. Spines may exhibit an iridescent turquoise or reddish sheen under light.

Spine Characteristics: Hollow and sharp, distinguishing them from other species with solid spines.

Ecological Impact: Their overpopulation contributes to the degradation of kelp habitats, affecting biodiversity.

  • Legal Limit: Maximum of 10 individuals per person per day.

    License Requirement: A valid NSW recreational fishing licence is mandatory.

    Collection Method: Hand collection is permitted; use of tools should comply with local regulations.

    Visit the NSW FIshery Authority website for the mot up to date information.

  • Legal Limit: No minimum *Only Centrostephanus rodgersii

    License Requirement: A valid VIC recreational fishing licence is mandatory.

    Collection Method: Hand collection is permitted; use of tools should comply with local regulations.

    Visit the Victoria Fisheries Authority website for the most up to date information.

  • Legal Limit: No minimum bag limit or size limited (longspined) *recommended voluntary bag limit of 50 for the shortspined (Helios) species

    License Requirement: No license required

    Collection Method: Hand collection is permitted; use of tools should comply with local regulations.

    Visit the Fishing Tasmania website for the most up to date information.

Find and eat

Search by postcode to discover suppliers, restaurants and businesses serving or selling sea urchin.

find urchin

Meet the chef collective

  • Analiese Gregory

    Chef · Tasmania

    Known for her produce-driven cooking and deep connection to place, Analiese brings a distinctly Tasmanian approach to seafood, seasonality and wild ingredients.

  • tony moss

    Chef · Australia / New Zealand

    Tony is known for bold, produce-led cooking and a career spanning some of Australasia’s most respected restaurants and culinary projects.

  • Mark Best

    Chef · Victoria

    One of Australia’s leading culinary figures, Mark is known for transforming familiar ingredients into thoughtful, distinctive and highly creative dishes.

  • David McGuinness

    Chef · New South Wales

    David McGuinness is a chef, baker and co-founder of Bourke Street Bakery, one of Australia’s best-known artisan bakery groups. He is also a co-founder of The Bread and Butter Project, a social enterprise helping refugees build skills and employment pathways through baking.

  • Johnson Teoh

    Chef · Victoria

    Johnson Teoh is a chef passionate about developing sea urchin recipes, transforming them from pest to plate. He advocates for sustainable harvesting to restore marine ecosystems while creating unique culinary experiences.

  • Jamie Steele

    Chef · South Australia

    Jamie Steele, former head chef at d’Arenberg, is passionate about using food to connect people with environmental issues. Inspired by White Rock, he has embraced sea urchin as both a distinctive ingredient and a practical way to help raise awareness of pressure on Australia’s kelp forests.

Recipes

FROM PLATE TO REEF

BUILDING DEMAND CAN SUPPORT BETTER MANAGEMENT

Creating demand for harvested sea urchins can support fishers, processors and regional businesses while complementing broader efforts to reduce urchin pressure and restore kelp forests.

By choosing urchin, you’re not just trying a unique and delicious ingredient — you’re supporting a wider shift toward practical, collaborative solutions for healthier reefs.

Take the next step

  • White Rock Film

    Learn more about White Rock, the documentary exploring the longspined urchin challenge and what it means for kelp forests along the Great Southern Reef.

    Watch Trailer

  • Take Action

    Find out how you can act on the issues raised in White Rock and support reef recovery.

    Use your voice

  • Community Screening Program

    Learn how to host a White Rock screening and bring this story to your community.

    Host A Screening

  • White Rock Student Course

    Learn about the White Rock student course, with lessons and activities that connect the film’s themes to real-world reef science.

    Click Here

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