Oz Encounter: Collecting sea urchins is Australia's new hobby

As a country surrounded by ocean, Australia has an abundance of aquatic resources. Since 2014, Australian scientists have called on Australians to add sea urchin into their daily diet, not only as a cheap and healthy meal, but also to help the environment. The sea urchin population has exploded in recent years, affecting the ocean's ecological balance.

Collecting sea urchins has become a recreational activity for Australians, as the aquatic animals crowd together in shallow waters and can be seen all over the coast line, making them easy to catch.

When it comes to collecting sea urchins, the first step is to purchase a fishing license. In Australia, whether you are fishing or shore collecting, you must own a Recreational Fishing License. This license is relatively easy to obtain, simply fill out some basic information at the Departure of Primary Industry's webpage to receive a three-day permission for AU$7. Of course, long-term licenses are available, and the longer the length of the license, the better value it will be. The license can be saved on any portable electronic device ready to show to the authorities.

In Sydney, you must check that an area is a legal sea urchin collection zone. Usually, a conservation or closed area will have signs to tell the public not to collect. Other sites will have information on which urchins can be caught, their legal number and size limit.

Besides a fishing license, you should also prepare some tools to make the collection of sea urchins easier. The tools we have prepared today include a pair of waterproof, skid-proof shoes that will help us better explore the shore, a pair of thick gloves to protect our hands from the sea urchin's thorns, a no blade knife to pry the urchins from the rock, as well as a small bucket to place the urchins in.

Australia has launched a series of projects in recent years dedicated to exporting sea urchins to countries such as China and Japan, where sea urchin is a popular dish on many menus. Through exportation as well as a push for more people to eat sea urchin locally, Australia hopes it can solve its ecological problem.(People’s Daily Online/ Tingting Yan)