Sea urchins are marine invertebrates locally known as “pana-pana” (Tagalog) or “kuden-kuden” (Ilocano) that thrive in the seagrass beds of our coastal waters. These are highly prized particularly to the Japanese who consider their gonads or “uni” a delicacy.
The breeding in captivity and cage culture of the sea urchin (Tripnuestes gratilla), was pioneered in the country by researchers of the University of the Philippines’ Marine Science Institute led by Dr. Marie Antonette Juinio-Menez in the `90s. Starting in Bolinao, Pangasinan, the culture of the sea urchin has spread to nearby La Union.
