The Explorer: How Norwegian research can rescue the seabed from sea urchins
An invasion of sea urchins is threatening to turn large areas of the world’s seabed into desert-like barrens. But thanks to Norwegian research, businesses now have an economic incentive to rid the waters of these destructive pests.
Just below the ocean surface, an ecological drama of enormous dimensions is taking place: along coastlines throughout the world kelp forests are being devasted by sea urchins. This is worrying, according to Philip James, senior scientist and sea urchin expert at Nofima, a Norwegian fisheries, aquaculture and food research institute.