Scientists, conservationists, First Nations leaders, fishers and government are banding together to tackle the proliferation of sea urchins that threatens NSW's marine ecosystem.
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For decades long-spined sea urchins have dominated half of NSW's coastline, destroying the kelp forests that are vital to the marine ecosystem.
The project to investigate the viability of harvesting sea urchins and regenerate kelp forests is being led by UNSW's Professor Adriana Verges and Emeritus Professor Peter Steinberg.
They are collaborating with conservationists World Wide Fund for Nature Australia and Nature Coast Marine Group Eurobodalla, along with First Nations leaders, commercial fishers and NSW Department of Primary Industries.
Narooma's Wally Stewart is on the steering committee, representing the NSW Aboriginal Fishing Rights Group.
"We are very concerned because all those places our fathers took us fishing have gone.
"We have to stop being angry and do something about it otherwise our kids will suffer and we will lose this connection to the water forever," Mr Stewart said.
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Urchin barrens
Professor Verges said there are two possible causes for the urchins' proliferation.
One is climate change that is pushing the distribution of species towards the poles so that the urchins are moving further south down the NSW coastline and into Victoria and in the last 20 years, into Tasmania.
"Another potential reason is fishing, especially of rock lobster, which is the urchins' main predator.
"Blue groper are also getting smaller in size, making them less effective predators," she said.
In many regions, the vegetarian urchins have devoured the kelp back to bare rock.
"They are like little bulldozers.
"When there are enough of them they can turn a kelp forest into an urchin barren" containing millions of urchins and little else.
Creating a new industry
While urchins in barrens are malnourished and inedible, healthy urchins are a prized seafood in South East Asia and Professor Verges said there is great growth potential in Australia.
A sea urchin-themed restaurant in Melbourne does "delicious popcorn", she said.
The plan is to harvest healthy urchins to regenerate kelp forests, enhance urchin fishery and create regional jobs while inedible urchins are removed and used to make agricultural fertiliser.
"Ocean2earth is interested in receiving sea urchins," Professor Verges said.
"It is about regenerating the environment in a way that is socially, economically and ecologically sustainable," she said.
The site of the trial on the South Coast hasn't been decided but the first harvest could occur as early as June.
"After two years we will know how much the harvesting costs, how much they sell for and is it a way to create jobs and restore the environment," she said.
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