Community-based sea urchin (tripneustes gratilla) grow-out culture as a resource management tool

The collapse of the valuable sea urchin (Tripneustes gratilla) fishery in Bolinao, Pangasinan, Philippines, has led to the formulation of an alternative approach to sea urchin management which integrates culture technology and local community participation. A conceptual model focusing on family/village-managed reproductive reserves in the form of sea pens or cages where juvenile sea urchins can be grown and selectively harvested (i.e., >70 mm test diameter) is presented. This concept is reviewed with respect to ecological, educational, and economic values based on field and laboratory studies and grow-out culture practice of some fishers in Nalvo, Ilocos Sur. Implications of the need for some limited exclusive use of grow-out areas in a traditionally open-access fishery and the development of new marketing systems that would favor higher prices paid to fishers are discussed