by Jo Rouse

"How Long Will Urchins Last?" asked the August 21, 1987 ICO front page headline.

ICO reporter Dave Harlander followed the headline with an extensive analysis of the sea urchin boom at  the Point Arena pier.  That summer (between mid-May and mid-August) more than 3.5 million pounds of urchins had been harvested.  Fish and Game officials were becoming concerned that indiscriminate harvesting would take too many of those urchins that were sexually mature and reproducing, depleting future crops.

Ocean Fresh representative Robert Junitz, who bought the urchins at the pier and took them up to Fort Bragg to process, wasn't concerned.  "The industry will rise and it will fall," he said, "but it's not going to collapse."

He was wrong about that.  But not because too many urchins of mating size were being taken.  But the market has changed.

The Japanese have been long sought sea urchin's roe for use in sushi.  That traditional food taste is not likely to change.  But in 1987 the northern California coast was on of only a few places where sea urchins were being harvested.  Now the Russians and the Koreans have gotten into the act.  Their shipping costs are cheaper, as in their labor.  Consequently Point Arena has lost its sea urchin market.  The boom of the late 1980s and early 1990s is over.

One of the biggest benefactors of the boom was the City of Point Arena, who owned the pier and, in the summer of 1987, made approximately $175,000 on their share of the summer sea urchins harvest.

Looking for long term financial security, City officials were limiting the amount and size of sea urchins taken in order to maintain the urchins as a renewable harvest.  They approved a study that would, they hoped, guide them in taking a harvesting sea urchins and other fish and sea foods as well.

The irony is that, despite their attempt to take a long term perspective, they could not have seen the shift in the market, making them no longer competitive.

So the question is not how long will sea urchins last.  The question is how can the pier now be used to provide the maximum long term benefit for the City of Point Arena and its citizens?

Pier Manager Mitch McFarland told the ICO that the City now owns not only pier, but also the hoists, some of which are leased to Ocean Fresh.  The City rents the facilities to Ocean Fresh for $750 per month.  In addition the City receives $0.04 for every pound of product.

Pier income now includes poundage, rent, launch fees, showers, recycling, boat storage and the annual Sea Food Festival.

By far the largest single source of pier income is the poundage.  Salmon and other fish are beginning to rebound.  But within the last five years income from poundage has ranged from $41,280 to $47,459.  It has been many years since the poundage came close to the $175,000 received in the summer of 1987.

McFarland believes the Point Arena's economic problems have always been related to its location.  He points out the Point Arena is 2.5 hours from the closest market and four hours from the nearest airport.

The sear urchins were a resource that Point Arena had in abundance.  When they were a market rarity the Japanese were willing to pay top dollar for them, including shipping costs.  Now that is no longer so.

"There are plenty of sea urchins.  They are doing fine," McFarland said.  "But the pier is not doing so well."