The Nikkei Chinese website reported that since September this year in Hokkaido, Japan, red tide disasters have occurred due to the proliferation of plankton, which killed a large number of sea urchins and salmon. The price of 100 grams of sea urchins has soared from 2,700 to 2,800 yen (approximately CAD 29 to 30) in the same period last year, to about 5,500 yen (approximately CAD 60) this year, nearly doubling the price. The catering industry lamented that even if the price was doubled, it would not be able to make up for the loss. The more you sell, the more you lose. Some large conveyor belt sushi chains in Hokkaido have suspended providing sea urchins.
With the lifting of restrictions on the business hours of the catering industry in various parts of Japan and the lifting of restrictions on the provision of alcohol, the catering industry has an increasing demand for aquatic products, and sea urchins are one of the most popular sushi ingredients. The impact of the mass deaths of sea urchins may expand.
According to the industry, the purchase price of sea urchins has doubled, and the amount of sea urchins caught in eastern Hokkaido has decreased. The prices of sea urchins in Russia, which ushered in the fishing season during the same period, have also increased by about 20% compared with previous years. However, due to the poor growth of Russian sea urchins, only about half of the edible amount obtained after shelling was last year.
Since fresh fish shops and sushi shops purchase goods at the same price, plus profit sales, ordinary consumers buy sea urchins at fish shops and other places, and the price is more expensive.
In addition, it takes about 4 years for sea urchins to go from stock to capture, and a large number of sea urchins die may cause long-term effects. The person in charge of purchasing at a sushi restaurant said that this year has been ruined, and there will be no sea urchins caught next year. Consumers may not be able to eat sea urchins.
Source: Taiwan United Daily News
