Agreement between Urchinomics and Hokkaido Power

Friday, April 26th 2024

Sea urchin farming business in Hokkaido for the purpose of preventing rocky shores: announcing the formation of a cooperation agreement “Protecting Hokkaido's rich sea and aiming for a sustainable future”

Today, Urchinomics BV and its Japanese subsidiary Uninomics Co. Ltd (hereinafter referred to as "Urchinomics") and Hokkaido Electric Power Co., Inc. (hereinafter referred to as "Hokkaido Electric Power") signed a collaboration agreement (hereinafter referred to as the "Agreement") to jointly consider a sea urchin farming business in order to address the rocky shore issue in Hokkaido.

In recent years, in addition to rising seawater temperatures and lack of nutrients, seaweed beds have continued to decline due to sea denudation nationwide, due to factors such as sea urchins overeating seaweed beds, and a similar situation is occurring in the coastal areas of Hokkaido.

Seaweed beds foster a rich marine ecosystem and protect biodiversity, and are also a source of carbon dioxide absorption and storage through blue carbon*, restoring seaweed beds helps restore marine resources and prevent global warming.

Urchinomics has the technology to raise sea urchins in a short period of time, and with a circular business model that buys, raises, and sells sea urchins that live in rocky areas, it is a new way to raise sea urchins from areas suffering with rocky shores. We will preserve the marine environment and revitalize local fisheries while bringing in industry and speciality products. The Urchinomics model has received high praise worldwide, including being awarded an official recommendation from UNESCO's United Nations Decade of Marine Science for Sustainable Development.

Hokkaido Electric Power has developed its own "low-carbon algae reef"† and "automatic sea urchin capture device"§ and is also promoting a blue carbon project aimed at regenerating seaweed beds at multiple locations in Hokkaido. Utilizing these technologies and know-how, and collaborating with Uninomics, we will move forward with new initiatives aimed at eliminating rocky shores.

Going forward, based on this agreement, both companies will consider business models that will contribute to the revitalization of the business area and local economy in order to implement a sea urchin farming business in Hokkaido, with the aim of solving social issues and realizing a zero-carbon Hokkaido.

* Carbon absorbed and stored by marine ecosystems such as seaweed/seagrass beds, mangrove forests, and tidal flats.

† It is a block submerged in the sea that has been processed to make it easier for seaweeds (algae) to attach and grow. Hokkaido Electric Power uses biomass combustion ash as a part of the material, with reduced CO2 emissions during the manufacturing process. The components contained in biomass combustion ash also have the effect of promoting the growth of seaweed (algae).

§ A cage-shaped trap that is sunk to the ocean floor, with a structure that allows sea urchins to enter but prevents them from getting out. A device (patent pending) that allows you to place bait in a basket and capture sea urchins that are attracted to it.