Live sea urchins are covered in mobile spines that can capture bits of drifting kelp and move it towards its mouth on the underside of its body. Empty kina 'shells' (right) are a common sight on New Zealand beaches. Photo: Arie Spyksma
Kina, sea urchins, sea eggs: AUT radio student Ayana Piper-Healion checks out how these little guys are doing, and what impact overfishing has had on them and their marine habitat.
Kina or sea urchins graze the kelp and create 'kina barrens' when their predators such as snapper or crayfish are heavily fished. In fully protected marine reserves (right) large numbers of big predators remove the kina and allow the kelp forest to flourish. Photo: Malcolm Francis/Coastal Fishes of NZ
About the creator
Ayana Piper-Healion Photo: Ayana Piper-Healion
Ayana Piper-Healion is from Whitianga with particular interests in the ocean and environment. She has studied for a Bachelor of Communications majoring in Radio at AUT. and would like to move into the field of audio storytelling.
