中国·福州——热爱城市从热爱美食开始

Fuzhou recently issued the Implementation Opinions on Further Deepening Rural Reform and Promoting Comprehensive Rural Revitalization, proposing to fully build the “Marine Granary.” Currently, Fuzhou-produced sea urchin seedlings have gained widespread attention, attracting buyers from Shandong, Liaoning, and other regions.

Sea Urchin Seedlings Cultivated in Lianjiang.

Recently, at the seedling workshop of Lianjiang Hengfu Aquaculture Co., Ltd. in Tailu Town, Lianjiang County, sea urchin seedlings, roughly the size of a coin, are basking in the sunlight in a breeding pool set at 13.5°C. Nearby, workers are sorting the seedlings by size, preparing them for shipment to markets in Shandong, Liaoning, and other regions.

China’s sea urchin farming market has long been concentrated in the northern regions of Liaoning and Shandong, with Fuzhou sourcing its sea urchins from the north. However, since 2021, Lianjiang has initiated sea urchin seedling trials and established the first factory-based breeding technology system for Strongylocentrotus intermedius in southern regions such as Fujian. According to the information, Strongylocentrotus intermedius, one of the top three premium varieties, is renowned for its delicate texture, high nutritional content, and high economic and medicinal value.

“After four years of experimentation, the breeding of Strongylocentrotus intermedius has successfully achieved large-scale production,” said Wang Weigang, senior engineer at the Lianjiang Bureau of Ocean and Fisheries. The ocean and fisheries departments have actively partnered with academic teams from institutions like Jimei University and Xiamen University, conducting experiments using Strongylocentrotus intermedius as the female parent to create a new hybrid strain. The newly bred sea urchin seedlings are not only larger but also exhibit faster growth and greater heat resistance.

“This year, our company has expanded to three varieties of sea urchin seedlings, and we’ve received strong interest from buyers in Shandong and Liaoning,” said Lin Feng, head of Lianjiang Hengfu Aquaculture Co., Ltd. Currently, sea urchin seedlings with a shell diameter over 1.5 cm are priced at more than 0.5 yuan each, while those with a diameter around 1 cm are priced at about 0.2 yuan each.

According to statistics, they have bred 20 million sea urchin seedlings this year, with an expected total output value of 8 million yuan. (Fuzhou Evening News Reporter: Zheng Ruiyang; Correspondent: Lian Rongmei, Text/Photo)