Sea urchin, or uni, is a popular B.C. delicacy — but not in B.C.

As the weather turns colder, some of the most prized sea urchin in the world is being caught right now off the coast of B.C.

The spiny creatures are treasured in Japan, where Canada will export much of the haul. There, sea urchin is called "uni," and is considered a delicacy.

"The thing with buying live sea urchin is you never know what's inside," said Jenice Yu, owner of Fresh Ideas Start Here fish shop in Burnaby. "That's why we try and pick the best boats with the best divers who know where to pick these sea urchins."

Yu says that since sea urchins eat things that fall to the bottom of the sea, harvesters need to look for them in the right environments, with rich reefs and the proper minerals and nutrients. B.C.'s North Coast is a prime spot for sea urchin.

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So why isn't it more popular here? Yu has some thoughts.

"I do admit that sea urchin is definitely an acquired taste, but I find that people have bad experiences with it because they've had bad uni in the past," she said. "Good uni is hard to find. You want to find them at their freshest and you want to find someone who knows how to process them."

"Once you taste it, it's really, really good and nice and fresh."

There are lots of different ways to eat sea urchin, Yu says, but she says her favourite way to eat them is to just crack them open and eat the meat raw.

All it takes is a set of clamps, kitchen shears or even a pair of spoons to get them open.

Just make sure you're wearing gloves.

To hear the full story, click on the audio labelled: B.C. sea urchin 'an acquired taste,' but popular in Japan