SEA URCHIN Obliterate Entire Tide Pool! This is NOT GOOD

[@silverhairseeker5539]

Back in the mid '70's urchins absolutely devastated the Cali coast from Laguna Beach to Oxnard. Along came PURP (Palos Verdes Underwater Restoration Program) who set up air stations at many local access points to diving area every weekend. Free air to anyone with a hammer to smash the urchins. We smashed urchins every week at Whites Point in San Pedro and other spots along the Palos Verde coast. When it was determined that the area had been cleared of enough urchins kelp was harvested from the Point Loma kelp bed in San Diego and transplanted along the SoCal coast line. The program was a rousing success and within a year and a half kelp forests were thriving, with a healthy kelp forest came the return of the other sea life, what was a barren waste land of urchins and star fish became again a thriving fishery.

[@maethlin]

Interesting, I wonder if more of these programs could/should be run?

[@shavonwalker2550]

@@maethlin I wish that would work here. But in this case, it was an abnormal weather issue that caused the death of the sunstars and resulted in the urchin population explosion. I don't know if the water is back to a temperature that will let the sunstars survive, and without them, the urchins will still overtake everything.

[@josh.c36]

thats awesome!

[@baseballerr11]

When you say free air, you mean for scuba tanks? Not a joke I’m assuming? lol

[@sacura605]

@@shavonwalker2550it was also due to a bacterial viral infection that wiped out the star fish.

[@jeffbock2793]

Never ask Taku to clean the uni. He eats half the yieild while he's cleaning them.

[@INTROVERTCY]

😂😂😂😂

[@gtALIEN]

brother wondering why there's so little uni like he didn't just eat it all 😂😂

[@christopher8576]

😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂 true that

[@virgo4435]

Exactly, thats with anything he cooks smfh...he cant never waiting its finished cooking. Just dumb

[@Vexatedcanicus]

​​@@virgo4435 Ironic that you have nothing good to say about his content but you keep watching... AND YOU'RE EVEN SUBSCRIBED. Who's the dumb one? Dude who wastes his own time hating on someone or dude who gets money from people like you? Lmao

[@piedpyper9034]

Bring back the sea otters. They control urchin populations naturally and prevent the urchins from decemating the kelp off the coast. Love the content, especially on the pacific coast of the US.

[@derpychicken2131]

Otters are a predator but they don't tend to dent the population of urchins by much. Far in away the most voracious urchin predators are sea stars, which have been suffering from a wasting disease that is killing them by the billions where they rot and slowly tear themselves apart, and the decline of sea stars is the primary cause for the current urchin blooms you see on the west coast. This has been going on for a few years now but luckily some sea star population are recovering after many years of being ravaged by disease. One of the best sea stars is the sunflower sea star, and it alone can eat enough urchins to keep kelp forests healthy and there's even a study backing that fact up. Unfortunately they are critically endangered and the sea star wasting syndrome hit them especially hard. We really should be diverting funding to sea otters given they're populations have already bounced back to healthy levels, and focus on the actual important players in the urchin control game like the poor sunflower sea stars.

[@rodneysmart9774]

catch 22, urchins destroy kelp forest and otters rely on kelp forest for protection

[@feuerling]

​@sierrakilo4322 humans almost wiped out the sea otters for the fur trade

[@lv4tmnt90]

Otterly insane!

[@AMnotQ]

@sierrakilo4322Yes. What about “wiped out” do you not understand? Their populations suffered as wolves and bison did. Their population was so low that even today, as litter bearing mammals who produce offspring annually, they’re struggling.

[@jimaffinito1809]

They’ve destroyed the kelp beds off our surf spots. The kelp beds groom the wind from the surface of the water and created good surf. Now everything is choppy. Amazing how a starfish disease can have such far reaching effects.

[@onioncontrol]

that's a bummer

[@shavonwalker2550]

When I was a kid, I remember seaweed being everywhere, to the point where it was dangerous to walk along the rocky shore because it was so slippery. Now, the only kelp beds I see these days are at the Monterey Bay aquarium. And it's really sad how that's affected the rest of the marine life.

[@vincentwu2848]

Can you explain a little bit more about how a starfish disease caused this?

[@jimaffinito1809]

@@vincentwu2848Absolutely. A Disease called Seastar wasting disease has decimated the population of many sea stars, but specifically one called the sunflower sea star. The sunflower Seastar is an aggressive predator, and probably the only significant predator of those purple urchins. Now that that particular Seastar is gone, the purple urchin population has exploded. Purple urchins feed aggressively on baby kelp, and even the footings of adult kelp preventing it from adhering to the seafloor and creating those big beautiful California kelp forests. More than 80% of California kelp beds are gone, and along with them a giant important ecosystem as well as that ocean surface grooming effect I mentioned.

[@jimaffinito1809]

@@shavonwalker2550truth

[@robertbrewer2190]

It was difficult for me to see the urchin monoculture tide pools. Seventy-ish years ago my Dad and I fished the San Mateo County coast for blenny eels, (monkeyface etc.) and enjoyed the mussels and cabazone and all the rich, rich life in this wonderful intertidal zone. In places we could harvest abalone without a pry bar! (The abalone divers h wiped out the commercial fishery and there was some population recovery. The sea otter population had not yet recovered so we hit the sweet spot in personal abalone fishing. You are right, THIS IS NOT GOOD!! and I fear it is not going to revert to anything other than a marine desert. The loss of 95% of the kelp is the loss of the basic food and habitat of the entire ecosystem. Basically the kelp forests have been clear cut by the urchin population and no organism benefits.

[@bakenbeans420]

The freaking state of cali needs to step in and do something about this! Its so shameful that we are allowing this to happen.

[@yanghongyu186]

@@bakenbeans420 Cali did something like you can have unlimited bagging for purple or red sea urchins.

[@atalk143]

Bro, I loved you and Jocelyn's international journey but it's fantastic to see you going back to your roots with a tide pool visit!

[@JapanSurvivalGuide]

Japanese scientists figured out an easy way to fatten up uni. Put them in a tank with cabbage. The cabbage floats so you have to use a circulator to get it so that the uni can grab on to them.

[@mhyrr999]

@19:04 barehand on the cast iron pan straight from the coals is crazy lol. chefs are built different

[@aquaviii]

Facts Chefs are built different 😅

[@mhyrr999]

@@aquaviii im a relatively decent home chef (i think) and my fingers are covered in burns from trying to move hot pans / flip tortillas on the pan for .4 seconds 😂 i dont understand how they arent affected, but i guess thats why theyre pros lol

[@ezor5609]

@@mhyrr999 with time the top-most skin on your hands will harden and dry out. This will act like a thin layer of leather to protect the skin underneath.

[@mahbuddykeith1124]

@@mhyrr999It’s basically constantly doing the stuff every day that turns your hands to leather. Still got calluses on my middle and index fingers from chopping shit all the time lol.

[@daycourt7389]

This was the kind of video that first made me fall in love with you're channel! So happy to see some beach foraging and poke pole fishing!

[@LOLBeachPlease]

for the fall you should host a event with the community to harvest the uni together take a chunk of the purple urchin population, make a dish for the community, and a vid

[@aquaviii]

Uni with Taku 😅

[@L96A1BM]

funny enough the population of purple sea urchins have been eradicated from the spot he originally posted (half moon bay jetty) I went a few weeks back and there was nothing not a single one, which I guess is great but no more free uni

[@stanfordmed]

California code regulation Section 29.06 - Sea Urchin: the daily bag limit for sea urchin is 35 individuals for each species. I don’t understand why there is 35 daily limits when they have over abundance and causing problems.

[@stanfordmed]

@@L96A1BMPerhaps no more seaweeds on the area that’s why the urchins moved on to other areas.

[@L96A1BM]

@@stanfordmed more like whenever its low tide you see like 40+ people out there each with full buckets lol

[@TimsStackingAdventure]

Yes!! I’ve been waiting for you to go out foraging again!!

[@WASasquatch]

I don't even eat from from the sea, and that totally shames my both my Hawaiian and Sami ancestors, but I have a real fascination for seafood. I hope we can do better about caring for our waterways and lands so our children's children and on can continue to practice these life principles.

[@Mi..Mi..]

The urchins: no seaweed? Guess ill eat rocks 😂😂😂

[@crib220]

7:50 He finds a IRL shiny pokemon

[@Pandamania371]

Welcome back Taku! Love seeing you back on the CA coast. Keep up the great videos.

[@koreandude]

Such throwback, been watching you since the first few videos you made foraging.

[@kman8175]

your videos genuinely make me happy bro. Every time I catch myself out of touch with reality I revisit you channel and it feels so wholesome.

[@michellehamilton8084]

Just found your station last week. I’m loving your content!

[@travismcclellan3413]

Yes! Back to the good ol days. Hope to see you on the kayak soon.

[@sonnypaker1019]

I remember back in early 1990s. Visiting my friends home which was near a peninsula in Fukuoka Japan. Went walking on the beach and found a whole bunch of Uni. Went back to my friends house and collected a net. We collected over 1000 Uni. I kept some and my friend kept some and took the rest to a fish market. Bad some nice money for 500 of them. Very heavy for a tiny piece of meat.

[@scottposey5954]

Hi Taku! That was fun to run into you yesterday! We were feeling a little tired from our trip but seeing your bag of sea urchins and your quiet comment "good quality" inspired us and we got more than we could eat/process, so rich!!!! Do you have a restaurant up here in Mendo or any recs?

[@kaysul4251]

Where is the uni location? The beach or location name? Please share. And is there season for uni? Thanks.😊

[@BurchellAtTheWharf]

Around here the old timer lobster fisherman call em *hores eggs as they eat all the vegetation and kill off ecosystems, much like green crabs

[@milesreavis4898]

where do you go in the bay to find some UNI?!?! plz fellow chef askin

[@StoneUSA]

My man knows what he's doing with the Carbonara! Bravissimo! La tua tecnica è davvero impressionante! Sad you couldn't find Guanciale and a block of Parmigiano Reggiano but, like you said, you work with what you have. The uni and onion made it your own.

[@TheSparklyBeader87]

As a former teacher of marine biology, I have seen films of purple urchins invade areas where coral bleaching and death have occurred. This is due to higher ocean temperatures. Very sad for the beautiful marine ecosystem.

[@jameyregier8054]

I don't know why I liked this so much. I hope you enjoyed your trip

[@AviusL]

18:44 I knew exactly why she was standing there half off camera... waiting for that customary pre-dinner bread tip. That's usually me. Lol

[@hanseoulohh9913]

It's always a great video from Taku! Congratulations on the kid!!

[@gmutu4966]

The thing with over fishing and trawling is the fish that kept the reefs in check can no longer keep up not enough which is why sea urchin dominate coast lines these days

[@ganjalfcreamcorn8438]

"lets put it in a little deeper. I like to push it in, basically as much as it goes, and then just pull it back a little bit. then just hold it there." -Taku 2024 8:55 lmao

[@Norcaloutside]

Get a life

[@truthsedge6514]

😄

[@ganjalfcreamcorn8438]

@@Norcaloutside what a weird reaction. Lol

[@ganjalfcreamcorn8438]

@Norcaloutside bet I get more women and make more money than you do. If that's what you mean. What are you upset about anyways 🤣

[@RaginWhormone]

Where in the Bay Area do you harvest sea urchin?

[@gdp1996]

I’ve been watching your channel for over a year now!! You deserve so many subscribers than you currently have! Such great content

[@taylormason2620]

That spaghetti trick at 18:25 was pretty nifty, mental note created.

[@rhondacavender2643]

Nice video! But, when Jocelyn said "mmm" before she even got the pancake to her mouth tickled me. I'm sure she knew it was gonna be great but just couldn't wait for it to hit her tongue. 😂❤

[@johngeddes7894]

Thank you for calling attention to this dilemma. Truly an imbalance exists, with sea urchins pushing other mollusks into waters too shallow for their optimum conditions. We hope to see an equitable solution soon. Keep us posted. Maybe Ca F&W may know of something as well.

[@Alpaka_Lolo]

Way to make it happen, Chef. These are my favorite type of videos, the ones that go in a different way than expected. Looks like a good negative tide will take place in mid-November. I am going to go to the area south of Pigeon Point Light House to try to find the uni. Do you know if there are spots with three point leek growing in that area that are accessible to the public? Thanks, looking forward to your channel continuing to grow and reach milestones.

[@MrAcuta73]

Think I'd be putting on the heavy boots and commence to stomping. Hopefully they start to decline soon. Also wish I had someplace close to me I could get some without diving! Glad to see you back to your roots with the channel! Definitely like the traveling, but this is like comfort food. It's always good. Edit: Food measures for anything but baking are alien to me. Rough ratios seem like a better idea for experienced cooks/chefs then adjust to taste. But...I get it for people who have little experience or just aren't good at it. Like a buddy of mine. Pretty sure he could in fact burn water.

[@OWK000]

There is a facility in Bodega Bay where they take in the starving sea urchins and feed them seaweed and then sell them fattened up. They live off seaweed and they have been overgrazing it, leaving the starving little urchin monsters. This is a back lash of the urchin harvesting that went on in the 80's and 90's when divers were making money selling the critters to Japan and for sushi. Then it ended. I guess Japan started farming their own. All that harvesting cut down food for sea otters and there was a big drop in the sea otter population. Now the urchins are back, having eaten up all the kelp they are now starving, and the sea otters are making a slow comeback. Things just really got out of balance and it could take a while before it is right again. It's hard for the kelp to come back. Probably this situation could use some help.

[@kendramiddletonwilliams]

And where we have kelp, we have no rocks, so no creatures to eat it. It’s been pillaged for death and the orgs that are supposed to help just steal the money and do nothing. Hunters and fishermen are doing the conservation because we understand the delicate balance of the ecosystem.

[@kevinta2841]

What part of Northern California is this? I would like to check it out when I visit my mother by Sacramento

[@rlngo8506]

Omg I thought I heard that wrong and had to go back … congrats on the pregnancy! My husband and I love your channel. we’ve been watching you since 2020

[@Rekeaki]

But she replied with “I just dont want to drink every day” I think the “since you’re pregnant” comment was just a joke

[@ashleyjenkins7650]

Yeah I thought they said Jocelyn was pregnant… I’m so confused

[@kaitsana11]

Where is this at?? Would love to go get some! Headed up to northern cali in a few weeks!

[@shavonwalker2550]

I wish you could tell us exactly where you are... I can never find a bunch of sea urchins like that...

[@DavidSaintloth]

Is the pigment in the spines good for dye? I wonder....

[@treatsnaturalpetmarketplac3999]

Happy to see you back home and back to your roots so to speak. We enjoyed the international stuff but this feels more real. Also super happy to hear you give a shout out to Dr. Kevin.

[@ronaldnelson7204]

I live in Humboldt county California and the same urchin has eaten all the food for the Abalone and most have died - Department of fish and game have done nothing but destroy more Snowy Plover habitat.

[@machone539]

where is this location? Pillar Point is picked out.

[@kinexkid]

I need to plan a trip to the coast to do some foraging at some point - I've put it off for too long. I know it's a bad idea to give out individual locations since it can destroy a small area if a lot of people know about it, but which area of the coast is best for coastal foraging? I'd be happy with even just knowing a county to look into. I live almost exactly 1 hour east of SF proper, so I can head either north or south

[@MattSuguisAsFondAsEverrr]

the red urchin thinking it'd be killed but instead hooman goes for the more numerous purple ones

[@Flatblack357]

Love all your videos but I definitely missed these kinds of videos! Back to the basics

[@ankidwitskillz]

Where are you harvesting these uni?

[@TactlessGuy]

I foraged these a couple years back. They're actually really, tasty but the yield is awful even in the best conditions, so they can't really be commercialized to the masses. Two bucket's worth was only enough for two portions of pasta.

[@TN_Unlimited]

Awesome video!! Great foraging. Keep heading North. When you get into Oregon. like to meet you in person and show you two around.

[@skypieper]

My Dad used to be an ab diver. Its a trip to see how the California coast has changed in the past 30 years.

[@christopherlee4613]

God... I missed my you poke polling the Monkey Faced Eels... this brings back memories of my first time watching your OCL vids. Thanks for the memories Taku. 😜

[@gatekeeper3660]

Can’t wait for you to come here to Okinawa. I got the best rice taco.

[@marclenraymagdaraog691]

HAHAAHA YOU ATE HALF THE YIELD before even the prepping. Taku's funny.

[@laurahernandez7531]

Thank you for educating us. Great video

[@pwikaira6993]

You the man Cooker❤thanks for sharing

[@benruthlessburger8905]

Welcome back to Cali

[@snowghost247]

I love onions so thank you very much for showing that 😮🥹

[@NevermindGirl]

Taku, I went to Halfmoon Bay hoping to try the purple sea urchin. But I couldn't find any. 😕 Where are you hiding them? lol

[@CookinWithSquirrl]

Nice technique on the double boiler carbonara! I initially was concerned you were going to go in over the fire and that would have given you scramble for sure. Well done, Chef!

[@gemini8883]

Location? Location? Please

[@roi9902]

whats the name of the camp site?

[@amechealle5918]

When I was little my cousins and I were exploring the tide pools, a woman came and started collecting urchins and putting them in two bags. We got upset and started yelling at her and she explained she was taking the “bad guys” who were destroying the eco system. I still cried but it was an eye opener that there were good and bad creatures . They were so beautiful. It wasn’t these purple ones. I wish I remember what she called them.

[@Rainbowturtledude]

Man your videos always take me back home! I wish i was medocino now!

[@somefishhere]

Going out with a stick and a bucket. Love it! Thanks for the pancake recipe! Going to try that

[@amcmac7237]

What campsite is this?

[@benjovi7007]

love your vids thanks for the internment .

[@gregorykelley5555]

I haven't seen the lovely Jocelyn in the last few videos I've watched. When I heard "pregnant" at 22:01 my heart leapt (if only for a moment) at the thought of a mini Jocelyn-Taku!

[@erwinchan6077]

I always wondered why purple urchins weren't classified as invasive but Taku explains it well (they're native to the area). My only question is why is there a limit on catching these things? In Oregon, I think it's 20 a person and I think Taku once said that in CA you have to freedive to get them? But if they're killing kelp beds and now tide pools, why not just allow people to catch as many as they can?

[@Arusei]

As of today until 2029, for certain counties in Cali, there is no regulation on red and purple urchin in attempt to restore kelp ecosystem. You however have to harvest them by hand/manually operated hand tools. They have specific targeted areas with coordinates in which you can harvest with no limit, most likely in attempt to only focus on hard hitting areas as to not over disturb the ecosystem? Over time they have updated the regulations multiple times to keep up with the current ecosystem.

[@TheASTrader]

It's nice to see you back there.

[@Fog1k305]

I love the way kimchi sounds when ppl chew it lmao

[@margaretcopeland5029]

Amazing. Still voting for you finding a nice property in Southern Oregon on the coast. You could have it all, no sales tax, the sea, climate for growing your garden, not far from Cali or Washington. What's not to like?

[@bari2883]

Omg that looks so good and that crunch while cutting the bread.❤

[@dyllirium9488]

Very well done video. Id love to know the part of N Cal you were in .

[@icedragons1152]

This is my first time watching but i lresdy love the content its cool to see plces i wouldent br able to see without yall and. The really cool food iv never seen ❤❤

[@mata2nz]

I use cotton to bind around soft bait sometimes to keep a little on the hook - a taste anyway

[@kathpetetraveladventure3093]

Hope you guys share the location where to harvest

[@wavesandwifi]

It's crazy because we could use a few more sea urchins here in Cozumel to help control the algae proliferation

[@miguelalvarez1155]

Welcome home. We've missed you both

[@Sweet_starburstchn]

the camera is so clear i love it ❤

[@seanodom1676]

I may have missed it. Where is this beach/location? Thank you. Great video.

[@21Gilbey]

I'm ready to purchase the cookbook!

[@neodas]

Taku ..the videos are crisp, awesome 4K quality, and visually aesthetic ...awesome technique,.....

[@DamnAwesome]

Awesome video! The food looks so good!

[@jblaylock023]

Cool trick you did with the noodles!

[@TheLegendaryFolklore]

Im curious as to why there's still a limit on sea urchin in California?

[@SquidSnackG]

here is a tip. put a bunch of oni in a jam jar, then put a bunch of old woolcloth cuttings in aswell, then use the cuttings on the hook. for bait later, the cloth with decompose if lost, it will stick better on the hook, and it will smell like crazy for the fish. Keep in refridgirator use for a week+

[@Cali_fishin]

I have never seen that many sea urchin in the area your in that's crazy

[@gbear8207]

Which beach is this?

[@StarDarkAshes]

I’m not 100% sure if you can eat every species of sea urchin but if you go to a sushi bar those things are really expensive for about a bite and it taste delicious so I don’t understand how something like this can get out of control when there’s money to be made or free delicious food.

[@Kai_soze]

“Oh yeah I forgot, I said I was gonna use them for bait” 😂 I’d be eating them just like that too

[@marke.1021]

WAs wondering if you were gonna grab some of the muscles as are still safe to harvest... would have gone nice in the pasta. Nice having you two on west coast of the USA again.~

[@keeshonocain4832]

Taku the 🐐 💯💯💯 much luv and respect brotha ✊🏾

[@JayLeePoe]

encouraging to try this food again in an italian or "other" context, linguini or otherwise. When I don't like a food, I often feel like I've missed something to a puzzle.

[@siddarthbhagirath5883]

the way you treat the pasta noodles and let it unfurl is so cool taku!!! rock on

[@wonjkimchi9891]

you camera quality always amazes me, what camera did you start with when starting this channel?

[@justinyoung11]

Can you use three corned leek in more recipes, there’s a lot where I live and would love to lean more uses for it

[@ktmcc4360]

You guys should consider Delnorte County. We moved up here in '17 and are so happy. There is a new airline to Oak for $99.so many cool places in the redwoods or closer to the Ocean. Livable and the most beautiful spots in CA. You can do a camp set up as well, full time or seasonal. Its the most amazing place in Cali. The fishing is unreal, wild rivers coast.