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Old 08-09-2019, 10:43 AM   #1
Ron S
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Lots of urchins...

Just got back from our annual family vacation to Fort Brag. Dove a number of shore locations from Mendocino to Mackerricher and have to say there's even less kelp and more little purple urchins than last year!

As for fish, we saw mostly Greenling, but my son did shoot a nice 19" Cabezone that was staring intently at our float tube anchor. Aside from that, we took a few greenling and had a nice fish taco dinner.

The ocean was nearly flat the whole 10 days, and vis was decent to pretty good. Nice to get back into saltwater, but the ocean is looking pretty bleak.

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Old 08-09-2019, 01:46 PM   #2
Gary Schulte
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Re: Lots of urchins...

What's the deal on taking Abs these days. Still legal up there? Damn I miss my abalone. Bought a dinner at a fancy restaurant last year. $85 but it was worth it to me.

Funny story

I guess years ago a company named Kelco used to harvest the kelp beds off San Diego. Their boat was like a big lawn mower that would chop off the top 10 feet or so. The story goes that Kelco found that the kelp beds were disappearing and they blamed the urchins. They sent divers down with hammers to smash them to pieces. The irony is that urchins multiply by ejaculating into the water and smashing them created a whole bunch more baby urchins.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sY7ZLJhIeXk

Last edited by Gary Schulte; 08-09-2019 at 01:55 PM.
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Old 08-09-2019, 04:53 PM   #3
Ron S
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Re: Lots of urchins...

Gary,
Sadly, abalone season is closed throughout California. I spoke to one diver who was just told by a game warden that they don't plan to open the season again for at least 10 years.

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Old 08-09-2019, 05:07 PM   #4
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Re: Lots of urchins...

San Diego has been off limits for how long? 25 years or more? I’m old and don’t dive any more but I did go off La Jolla about 5 years ago and found a very nice green Ab exactly where I used to find them back in the 1970’s. I wish I could have taken it
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Old 08-10-2019, 11:19 AM   #5
Ron S
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Re: Lots of urchins...

Quote:
Originally Posted by Gary Schulte View Post
San Diego has been off limits for how long? 25 years or more? I’m old and don’t dive any more but I did go off La Jolla about 5 years ago and found a very nice green Ab exactly where I used to find them back in the 1970’s. I wish I could have taken it
I know how you feel. My sons and I saw lots of abs on most of our dives. Very unsettling seeing numerous good sized abalone and knowing that I'll probably never be able to harvest one again in my lifetime.
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Old 08-10-2019, 03:58 PM   #6
super opus
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Re: Lots of urchins...

in northern cali, there is all most no limit on Sea Urchin.
https://cdfwmarine.wordpress.com/201...ecimates-kelp/
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Old 08-10-2019, 04:12 PM   #7
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Re: Lots of urchins...

I've eaten some damn good purple sea urchin eggs from a freshly cracked one on the dock in CA...sweet and little salty.
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Old 08-11-2019, 10:21 AM   #8
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Re: Lots of urchins...

Never tried to eat urchin, but I've been told that due to the massive over population there's very little to eat in the little purple guys. Prior to our arrival they had an "urchin rodeo" in one of the coves in which they go in and harvest as many urchins as possible. Apparently they've found that once they thin out the urchins in a given area the kelp starts growing back.
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Old 08-11-2019, 02:02 PM   #9
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Re: Lots of urchins...

Yea, I'm not sure how many urchin eggs you can eat before you shart yourself. I can confidently tell you that 3 pair of yellow mullet roe is a definite recipe. I discovered such in the 4th grade. I had to dispose of my underwear and wash my ass from the toilet water...and do the walk of shame back into the classroom. Lessons leaned right there, folks. That healthy fish oil is a delicious effective grease for the system. Slip sliding away...
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