Research Details

Research and Development of the Sea Urchin, Tripneustes gratilla, in Ilocos Norte

Facundo Asia, Pilar Carolyn Pascual, Carmencita Saladino

Category: Project

Status: Completed

Duration: January 1, 2014 - December 31, 2016

Component Studies:

  1. Stock Assessment, Biological and Ecological Studies on Wild Populations of Sea Urchins in Ilocos Norte
  2. Culture of the Sea Urchin Tripneustes gratilla in Pens, Cages and in Tanks
  3. Screening of Various Carotenoid Sources as Feeds for the Sea Urchin Tripneustes gratilla
  4. Land-based and Lying-in Hatchery of the Sea Urchin Tripneustes gratilla
  5. Post-Harvest Technologies (Product Development), Value-Addition, Packaging and Market Chain Studies

Brief Description

The proposed project will seek to establish viable technology in the hatchery of the organism for seedstock production, both land-based and on-site grow-out culture and stock enhancement in the locality. Data gathered will likewise serve as reference for further studies on the ecology, biology, culture and management of sea urchins.

The project shall have five component studies as follows:

Study 1. Stock and fishery assessment of sea urchin resources in coastal waters of Ilocos Norte

Study 2. Culture of the sea urchin Tripneustes gratilla in pens, cages and in tanks

Study 3. Screening of various carotenoid sources as feeds for the sea urchin Tripneustes gratilla

Study 4. Land-based and lying-in hatchery of the sea urchin Tripneustes gratilla

Study 5. Post-harvest Technologies (Product development, value-addition, packaging and market chain studies)

Expected Output

  1. Information on resource and fishery status of sea urchins in the coastal areas of Ilocos Norte
  2. Aquaculture technologies on on-site (cage and pen) and land-based (tank and basin) culture of sea urchin, T. gratilla ready for adoption by fishfarmers in the locality
  3. Aquaculture techniques using prepared diets of the sea urchin, T. gratilla
  4. Information on the hatchery/seedstock production and stock enhancement of the sea urchin, T. gratilla
  5. Developed products, packaging and marketing