Gongliao farmers shift from abalone to sea urchin farming

Gongliao farmers shift from abalone to sea urchin farming

2025-08-07

Situated on Taiwan’s northeastern coastline, New Taipei City’s Gongliao District is known for its nine-hole abalone. But in recent years its sales have been impacted by the influx of cheaper Chinese abalone, leading many aquatic farmers to instead begin harvesting sea urchins. Although their production is increasing annually, the supply still cannot meet demand, prompting the city government to launch an artificial breeding program to help stabilize production.

With its round shell and short, dense spines, this golden-brown sea urchin is firmly attached to the reef. This is a natural reef off the coast of New Taipei City’s Gongliao District.

Carrying proper equipment, the divers collect abalone from the rocks and toss them in a container. They also search for sea urchins lurking in the cracks between rocks, harvesting them together.

Wu Hung-ming
Sea urchin farmer
The two kinds of sea urchins currently farmed on the northeast coast are purple sea urchins and black sea urchins. About five years ago, people gradually started shifting to sea urchin farming, and production is reaching a peak this year. Since Taiwanese people love eating sea urchins, Gongliao’s current production can hardly keep up with demand.

Gongliao District on Taiwan’s northeastern coast is famous for its abalone, known as nine-hole or Taiwanese abalone. But due to cheap Chinese abalone flooding the market, many aquatic farmers have instead begun cultivating sea urchins. The sea urchin harvest season runs from June to September, and because of their enormous appetites, sea urchins require a large supply of seaweed.

Chang Yi-min
Aquatic farmer
Nine-hole abalone and sea urchins should really be raised separately. When I tried raising them together, the abalone wouldn’t get enough seaweed, which would impact its production. The sea urchins would eat all the seaweed.

Hsu Te-hua
University professor
We started implementing the sea urchin restoration project last year. From last year to this year, we have bred a total of over 30,000. We released 6,000 last year and 10,000 this year. We hope that local farmers raising nine-hole abalone can gain an additional source of income in the summer by farming sea urchins.

Many people love the rich, creamy flavor of sea urchin. In northeastern Taiwan, an area already known for its abalone, sea urchin is becoming the next star of local seafood.

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#seafood #abalone #seaurchin #sushi #fish #seafood #food #nineholeabalone #Gongliao #northeast #coast #seaurchinfarming

中國鮑傾銷"轉型海膽養殖" 新北貢寮當季美味供不應求

2025-08-07

新北市東北角的貢寮區，擁有豐富的海洋資源，貢寮鮑更是當地養殖漁業的珍寶，不過近年受到中國鮑的傾銷影響，不少養殖戶轉型投入海膽養殖，如今紫海膽與馬糞海膽產量逐年攀升，供不應求，市府也推動人工復育計畫，協助穩定產量。

外殼圓潤、短刺密布，呈現金褐色的馬糞海膽，牢牢吸附在礁石上。這裡是新北市貢寮海岸，天然礁岩間，蘊藏著豐富的海洋資源。

潛水工人帶著裝備，下水作業，將一顆顆「九孔」從岩石上取下，丟進籃中。而除了九孔，紫海膽也藏身在石縫中，潛水工人仔細翻找，通通一併採收。

[[海膽養殖戶吳鴻銘]]
“目前東北角有養的就是紫海膽跟馬糞海膽，這兩種海膽。五年前開始，就陸續有人開始在從事轉型，然後養殖海膽，今年都大概慢慢的達到高峰，因為臺灣人喜歡吃海膽。以目前就是台灣貢寮這邊的產量，有點供不應求”

海膽的養殖不再只有離島，台灣東北角海岸，過去是「貢寮鮑」的主產區，以養殖九孔與鮑魚為主，但受到中國廉價鮑魚市場的衝擊，不少業者轉型養殖海膽。海膽產季是每年6到9月，由於食量驚人，需要大量供應海藻。

[[養殖戶張益敏]]
“(九孔及海膽)要盡量分開，我之前混養的時候，也是九孔跟海膽分開養，(九孔)它會吃不到(海)菜，然後就會有影響。(海)菜都被海膽吃光”

[[海洋大學助理教授徐德華]]
“從去年開始執行海膽的復育計畫，從去年到今年，我們總共復育出三萬顆以上，去年放留六千顆，今年我們再度放留一萬顆。那希望當地的養殖戶，在養九孔的同時，夏季也可能多一個海膽的養殖收入”

濃郁的膏味讓不少民眾對海膽情有獨鍾。如今在東北角，除了「九孔」與「貢寮鮑」，海膽也逐漸崛起，成為下一波海味明星產品。

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